Harshal Patel

Harshal Vikram Patel is a gutsy right-arm medium-fast bowler from Haryana who has gone through the rigors of domestic cricket to rise through the ranks to reach the doors of the IPL. Winning two purple caps in IPL has probably been his biggest achievement. 

His knack for bowling slow off-cutters that dip through the air makes him a potent force, especially in the death overs despite his tendency to go for runs. Patel can contribute lower down the order as a handy batter as he started his career primarily as an all-rounder.

Harshal Patel: Along the Years

Harshal Patel Records

• First bowler to take a five-wicket haul against the Mumbai Indians in IPL

• Most expensive Indian player at the IPL 2023 auction

• First bowler to win two Purple Caps for two different IPL teams (RCB and PBKS)

• Joint-most wickets for the Punjab Kings in a single edition of the IPL (24) along with Andrew Tye

• Third bowler to win two Purple Caps in IPL after Dwayne Bravo and Bhuvneshwar Kumar

• Second Indian bowler to win two Purple Caps in IPL after Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Harshal Patel: Awards and Accolades

• Purple cap for picking the most wickets in IPL 2021 

• Purple cap for picking the most wickets in IPL 2024

Harshal Patel Career

Harshal Patel has primarily donned the role of being a death-over specialist, especially in the shortest format of the game.

Harshal Patel Domestic Career

Harshal Patel made his one-day debut for Gujarat in 2009-10. However, as he was ignored by the Gujarat selectors for the first-class side, Harshal moved to Haryana and made an immediate impact in his debut Ranji Trophy season in 2011-12, running through Karnataka and Rajasthan with consecutive eight-fours in the quarter-final and semi-final.

Harshal Patel had a sensational show in the 2019 Ranji Trophy season when he picked up 52 wickets in 9 games and broke a 36-year-old Haryana record,

The Ahmedabad-born cricketer also made 292 runs at an average of 22.46, batting mostly at No. 8 in the just concluded Ranji season. Patel opened and scored 374 runs at an average of 31.17 in 12 games in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019.

Harshal Patel IPL Career

Mumbai Indians bought Harshal Patel for INR 8 lakhs for the 2010 Indian Premier League auction but as fate would have it, Patel didn’t get a single chance to prove his mettle.

The 33-year-old then became a part of Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Royal Challengers Bengaluru) in 2012. However, he was still largely seen as a back-up seamer in the franchise set-up, instead of a first-choice option. He did not get a game in IPL 2013 but was bought back by the franchise in the 2014 player auction for INR 40 lakhs. The 2015 season was perhaps the maxima of his performance as he played in 15 matches and took 17 scalps.

In 2018, he was roped in by the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) for INR 20 lakhs. Harshal Patel was one of the few players to be retained by Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2020; the franchise has shown faith in the 29-year-old seamer who has been a consistent performer for Haryana in first-class cricket.

In Delhi Capitals, Harshal Patel took only 3 wickets in five matches and had an economy rate of nearly 9. After being bought by the Royal Challengers in 2021, Harshal Patel’s fortune took a huge turn.

Harshal Patel played fifteen matches and took 32 wickets winning the purple cap, by far the joint-most wickets in any IPL season. His economy rate also lowered to 8.14. Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, Patel was retained by Royal Challengers. He took 19 wickets throughout the season, with an impressive economy rate of 7.66. Patel had a decent season with the ball in IPL 2023, picking 14 wickets, and was released ahead of the IPL 2023 auction. He was bagged by the Punjab Kings for INR 11.75 crores in the auction, making him the most-priced Indian. 

He won a purple cap for the second time during IPL 2024 playing for Punjab Kings. He claimed 24 wickets in 14 matches at a bowling average of 19.88.

Harshal Patel International Career

Harshal Patel made his international debut for India in a T20I against New Zealand. Known as Purple Patel for his wicket-taking exploits in the IPL, he was seen as a prospect for the Men in Blue in the shortest format and has not played in the longer formats.

Harshal Patel T20I Career

After an impressive 2021 IPL, Harshal Patel was selected for the 2021 New Zealand- India T20I series. Harshal played in the second T20I of the series, replacing Mohammed Siraj. On his debut, Harshal dismissed both capable batters, Glenn Philips and Daryl Mitchell.

In his second and final match of the series, Harshal again impressed everyone with another couple of wickets. The most remarkable feature of his bowling performance was his low economy rate even after being a death bowler.

Then in 2022, Harshal Patel played in a couple of series against Sri Lanka and the West Indies. Harshal had inconsistent performances, taking a total of 5 wickets in three T20Is against the West Indians and then taking only two wickets against Sri Lanka in three matches, with an economy rate of over 9 per over.

Harshal Patel next featured in a five-match T20I series against the Proteas. The right-arm pacer struggled in the first match with 1 wicket for 43 runs but made a great comeback in the remaining couple of matches. In the second match, Harshal took 1 wicket for a mere 17 runs, and then in the next match took an even more impressive 4 wickets for 25 runs.

Next, Patel played in a three-match T20I series against England. In England, Harshal took 4 wickets in three T20Is, averaging 8.45 with the ball. After suffering a rib injury, Harshal missed the West Indies series and the 2022 Asia Cup.

Patel made a comeback against the mighty Aussies after recovering from his injuries. He struggled in the initial couple of matches, going for 49 runs in the first match and 32 runs in just two overs in the second match.

In the last match, Harshal Patel took one wicket for 18 runs in two overs.

The right-arm pacer was selected for the three-match T20I series against South Africa in September-October 2022. He bowled incredibly in the first match, dismissing two batters for just 26 runs in 4 overs. In his last couple of matches, Harshal performed miserably, going for over 10 an over and going wicketless.

Patel was drafted into the Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and was seen as a possible replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah as a bowler who could bowl the tough death overs, but he was not given a chance to represent the nation at the mega event.

Harshal Patel Under-19 Career

Harshal Patel took 23 wickets at an impressive average of 11 in the 2008-09 Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy. He was also part of the Indian Under-19 squad for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2010 but did not get the opportunity to play.

Harshal Patel’s Family

Harshal Patel is a USA Green Card holder. Though his family emigrated to the USA in 2005, he stayed in India as he wanted to become a cricketer as urged by his brother Tapan Patel. In 2008, he joined the Aggressive Cricket Club and played in the Cricket League of New Jersey (CLNJ). 

Patel was born on November 23, 1990, to his father Vikram Patel, and his mother Darshna Patel. His sister Archna Patel passed away during a a match against Mumbai Indians in 2021. Patel and his wife Devarshi Joshi were blessed with a baby boy a week after his sister had passed away.

Harshal Patel’s Net Worth

As of 2024, Harshal Patel’s net worth is estimated to be around INR 37 crores or USD 4.5 million.

Harshal Patel’s House

Harshal Patel owns an apartment in Bengaluru and a farmhouse near Ahmedabad.