Harshal Patel surpassed expectations by winning the Purple Cap in IPL 2021. He has also made his India debut and did well in the initial games. Apart from being an intelligent bowler, Harshal is also known for his big-hitting abilities. Hence, quite a few teams could be set to target him at the upcoming bidding event. In this article, we take a look at four teams that could target India’s Harshal Patel in IPL 2022 Mega-Auctions.
1) Royal Challengers Bangalore
Harshal Patel was the unexpected hero for RCB in IPL 2021. Before the season started, many wondered as to who would take up the death bowling responsibilities for the franchise. Harshal Patel put his hand up and put on a fantastic show. He won the Purple Cap and helped RCB to reach the playoffs. The franchise will be desperate to re-hire the player whom they have groomed. From a T20 perspective, Harshal’s death-bowling skills and big-hitting ability will be of immense value.
2) Chennai Super Kings
In one of the recent interviews, Harshal Patel said that CSK is one team that he would like to represent. Actually, it will be a win-win situation if CSK buys the player. In the India-phase of IPL 2021, Harshal breathed fire on the slow Chepauk pitches. CSK anyways needs a player to replace Dwayne Bravo. Harshal would be a perfect replacement and moreover, he is a domestic player. Hence, CSK can use the foreign slot in another area of the team. These reasons could prompt CSK to target the player.
3) Kolkata Knight Riders
The likes of Rajat Bhatia and L Balaji found success when they played for KKR. However, they have not been able to find a similar bowler in recent years. However, Harshal Patel might be an option they can try. KKR seems to like multi-utility players going by the picks they have made so far. Since Harshal also belongs to the same category, the IPL 2021 finalists could target the all-rounder.
4) Ahmedabad IPL Team
So far, the picks made by Ahmedabad suggest that the team is inclined towards players who can make difference in both departments. Of course, Shubman Gill was chosen as an investment for the future. Harshal Patel can be the signing that Ahmedabad might target in the category of marquee Indian bowlers. Hence, they can target Harshal Patel in IPL 2022 Mega-Auctions.