I felt betrayed by the franchise: RCB bowler Harshal Patel talks about his ups and downs in the IPL

Harshal Patel shattered records to pick 32 wickets in the 2021 season of the Indian Premier League. But, this wasn't the case always as he was left in abyss by IPL franchise who backed out on their words right on the day of IPL auctions

Royal Challengers Bangalore fast bowler and purple cap winner from the 2021 season of the Indian Premier League, Harshal Patel has said that he felt cheated by the tournament franchises in the early days of his career.Speaking in the Breakfast With Champions, Patel said that he had gone into a spiral, questioning his cricketing career when franchises did not bid for him in the Indian Premier League auctions.

Elaborating on the matter, Patel revealed that before his breakthrough season, he got contacted by three four people from different franchises who said that they will bid for him. However, they went back on their word on the day of the auctions, leaving him questioning his place in the game.

"The ironic thing was that there were three-four people from different franchises who said we'd gonna bid for you but no one did. At that time, it felt like a betrayal. I felt like they had lied to me, I felt cheated," Harshal told talk-show host Gaurav Kapoor on his show Breakfast with Champions.

He further added that it put him in a dark place and it took time to get out of it and accept the matter.

"I was in a spiral of these dark thoughts. Stuff like 'Who are you? You have given so much to this game. You have worked so hard.' You keep telling yourself that you have done all this and you're not getting anything out of it."

Patel spoke about a variety of things in the show ranging from his family moving to the United States to make a living, their struggles and how he took risks to become the best death over operator in the IPL. In the current edition of the league, Patel has nine wickets from seven matches at an economy of 7.42.