Harshal Patel is one of the best medium pacers of India in T20I cricket. With several bowling variations up his sleeve, Patel can play an instrumental role in any game in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
IPL 2021 was the standout year for Patel as he bagged 32 wickets while plying his trade for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He went on to represent the Bold Army in the next 2 IPL seasons and was eventually released by them ahead of the auctions of IPL 2023.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have some big shoes to fill through this auction and their eyes would be on Harshal Patel. This is essentially because the 33-year-old cricketer is an asset and has a lot of benefits to offer in the IPL.
In this article, we take a look at 3 reasons why Harshal Patel can come to Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL:
1. KKR have released a few pacers
Having released several high-profile pacers in the form of Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav and Lockie Ferguson, KKR are indicating towards a major overhaul in the pace-bowling department.
In these circumstances, Harshal Patel could be a good addition into the dugout of KKR as he could well fill in the void created by the departure of these senior pacers.
2. His bowling style suits Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens has historically been a pitch where pacers have enjoyed a fair bit of assistance. His bowling could be crucial for KKR as they play 7 home games at Eden Gardens in IPL 2024.
Patel has played in the small and compact stadium of Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and has been successful over there. As Eden Gardens is bigger than Chinnaswamy Stadium, we can expect Harshal Patel to deliver the goods with the white cherry for the 2-time IPL champions.
3. Harshal Patel had a fantastic Vijay Hazare Trophy season
Playing for Haryana, the pacer of India had a good season in the recently-concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023-24. He bagged 19 wickets and finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker of his state side.
With impeccable form in his side, it could well act as a prompt for Kolkata Knight Riders to go on and pick Harshal Patel at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on 19th December 2023 during the IPL 2024 Auctions.
Patel had an excellent economy-rate of 5.41 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023-24 and his confidence levels would be quite high.
Also read: IPL 2024: 3 Reasons Why Manish Pandey Might Return To KKR
