India pacer Harshal Patel has showered praises for India’s white-ball captain Rohit Sharma as he said that he always gives his bowlers freedom to express their ideas.
Harshal Patel won the Purple Cap in the last IPL season as he bagged a record of 32 wickets for RCB in the season as he earned an India cap in the T20I series against New Zealand. He picked 2 wickets in each of the two games as the hosts whitewashed New Zealand by 3-0.
Harshal has been retained in the T20I squad for the series against West Indies starting on February 16 though he would be eying to make it to the ODI squad as well.
Harshal Patel made his T20I debut in the last series against New Zealand
Speaking about his experience playing under Rohit Sharma in his debut series, Harshal Patel said that he is very much the bowler’s captain as he would trust his plans. Patel stated that he enjoys such freedom when the captains give him the platform to express himself.
“He [Rohit Sharma] will basically give you the ball and if he has confidence in you, he will not tell you about what to do. ‘You know what to do, just go and do it’. So, he is really good as a captain and I really enjoy playing under those captains.
“I have my plans- Plan A, B, C so even when I get hit, I know what to do. I don’t like a lot of outside input and he fits in that personality as a captain. He is very relaxed and gives you the freedom,” Harshal said on the Star Sports’ show ‘Follow The Blues’.
It was also the first series for Rohit Sharma as full-time India’s T20I captain as Virat Kohli stepped down from the role after the T20 World Cup. Right before the South Africa tour, he was also handed over the ODI captaincy though he missed the series due to a hamstring injury. But he is all set to lead India in the series against West Indies starting on February 6.
“We know that you are a very confident bowler. We know what you want to do, you can or cannot do. I just want you to go out there and express yourself and enjoy the moment. We are going to back you no matter what,” he added.
Post the West Indies series, India will host Sri Lanka for a series of 3 T20Is and 2 Tests. Harshal Patel is likely to be part of the T20I series as the likes of Bumrah and Shami will be rested ahead of the test series.
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