Harshal Patel talks about missing out on the T20 World Cup and the rollercoaster set of emotions that followed

Harshal Patel has been instrumental for the Royal Challengers Bangalore ever since his introduction to the team. A crafty pacer with an ability to hit the ball long as well, Harshal has grown into a vital role at RCB, proving his worth as one of the best death bowlers in the current era. 

In an interview with ESPNCricinfo, Harshal talked about missing out on an opportunity to feature in the T20 World Cup, stating, “It took me about a week to be okay with the fact that I might not play a single game in the tournament. It was sort of hard to digest. You are in the middle of a very important tournament and you are still hoping you might get a game. [For the] first three-four days, there's a bit of disbelief and you are thinking of a number of things which are out of your control. The first human reaction is: how could this happen?”

He further added, “But as your rational self takes over, you realise this is outside your control. I can't do anything about selection. All I can do is keep pushing my case, and if I still don't play a single game after that, then I have to be okay with the fact and do whatever I can to contribute to the team. So I picked up the bat, started working on a few things with Vikram Rathour [India's batting coach]. It became a little easier as time went on.”

Shedding some light on his chat with Dravid after missing out on games in the World Cup, Harshal said, “I had a chat with him after the second game. He said [not selecting me] was a tactical move. He said you were in contention almost till the day of the first game [against Pakistan] and then we decided to go with [Mohammed] Shami.”

He also said, “The coach and the captain's job is to pick the best possible XI. I may or may not agree with it, but I have to accept it. I absolutely hate people who don't get picked and then sit on the sidelines and sulk. I didn't want to be that person, so I just kept saying to myself: "Keep thinking about how you can add value and try and do that, as hard as it might be."