Harshal Patel was the Purple cap holder for IPL 2021 season.
After a career-changing season with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) last year, Haryana's Harshal Patel finally got his due at the top level after years of hard work on the home circuit.
Harshal was traded by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2021 season to RCB and was given a specific role by the team management of being their primary death bowler, an area where the three-time finalists have struggled in the past.
Harshal was the finest bowler of the tournament, whether it was due to his change of pace or the accuracy of his lines and lengths, and he won the Purple Cap for most wickets, equaling Dwayne Bravo's record of 32 wickets in a single season.
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RCB decided not to retain him for IPL 2022 and instead re-bought him at the IPL 2022 auction for a stunning INR 10.75 crore.
Harshal has purchased for INR 20 lakh by the then-Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) at the IPL 2018 mega auction, and despite being with the franchise for three years, he only played 12 games.
Harshal claimed that he was promised by three to four franchises that they would bid for him in 2018, but that no one wanted him apart from Delhi, which he admitted felt like a betrayal.
Speaking to Gaurav Kapur on Breakfast with Champions, Harshal said: "The ironic thing was that there were 3-4 people from different franchises who said we'd gonna bid for you but kisi ne nahi kiya [no one did]. At that time, it felt like a betrayal, yeh toh jhooth bole hain, dhokha hua hai mere saath [they lied to me, I felt cheated]."
Harshal stressed the need of coming out of this difficult period with acceptance rather than breaking when he wasn't given the opportunity or credit he deserved.
Finally, awards, accolades, and everything else came Harshal's way in IPL 2021.