Ravi Shastri was all praise for Royal Challengers Bangalore bowler Harshal Patel after the team got their first win of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022), beating Kolkata Knight Riders by 3 wickets at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Wednesday.

Ravi Shastri, whose tenure as India coch ended recently, said Harshal Patel does not get ovewaved to bowl any player, and that he was spared for Andre Russell.

RCB made 132 runs, which was an easily achievable target the way the tournament has gone so far. KKR’s top order made between 0-14 runs a piece, but it was Andre Russell who turned it on in the middle overs for last season’s finalists. Faf du Plessis called upon the services of Harshal Patel and he stepped up to the plate.

Harshal Patel played a crucial role in the team, especially in the death overs, playing two maidens and taking two important wickets of Andre Russell (25) and Sam Billings (14). He became only the second bowler after Mohammad Siraj to bowl two maidens in a single IPL match.

Purple cap holder of last season, Harshal Patel, gave just 11 runs, with an economy rate of 2.80, thanks to the two maidens in the four overs that he bowled.

“I have had chats with him in the Indian team, he knows his bowling. He is confident and he is not overawed bowling to anybody. It looked as if he was spared for Andre Russell, which is a big thing. A lot of people can get overawed and intimidated.”

“He was very clear in his mind that he was going to bowl wide and he will take the pace off the ball and see how it goes after that. There has been a big improvement in his bowling and he understands his game and keeps it simple,” Shastri said.

Royal Challengers Bangalore will play Rajasthan Royals on 5th April at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.