The first cease is the Caribbean the place he’ll play in the upcoming CPL for the Barbados Tridents
“It’s a new innings for me,” Patel advised ESPNcricinfo from Arizona, the place he’s representing the New Jersey Blackcaps, a membership facet, at a weekend event. “It’s been a different sort of a journey. Starting with the highs of the Under-19 World Cup, then the frustration of not finding a place as a wicketkeeper and then moving four teams [Gujarat, Tripura, Goa and Baroda] within India for opportunities.
“All that is certain to occur when there’s stifling competitors, so I’ve acquired no complaints. I’m blessed to have performed for India at a world occasion – few get that likelihood. So I’m transferring on with completely happy recollections. All my paperwork with the BCCI is full. I’ve despatched in my retirement letter. So the India chapter of my cricket profession is over. If I return, it’s going to solely be to prepare right here for a month or so yearly when it is snowing again in the US.”
Patel isn’t a stranger to America though. He is a green-card holder – meaning he can live and work there permanently – having spent considerable time in the country since 2010. His family had migrated from Gujarat to Pennsylvania and currently lives in Easton, where his father runs a gas station, and the plan of having a better life has worked out well.
“Yes, having performed for 12 years in India, to abruptly pack up and go away could be intimidating,” he said. “But since my household was already right here they usually have set themselves up right here, the choice was considerably simpler than simply having to flip up right here and look out for your self. I’d been doing that in India for a decade now – residing there to simply play cricket and are available again right here through the low season. I’d spent 9 months of lockdown final yr right here, and I’ve been again right here since April. Also signing up with MLC was a surety that I’m half of a system right here.”
Patel’s cricket career in India was at best a stop-start affair. After becoming a breakout star at the 2012 Under-19 World Cup along with Unmukt Chand, B Aparajith and Sandeep Sharma, to name a few, Patel had to contend with the frustration of being in the reserves for a better part of a few years at Gujarat, where their captain Parthiv Patel was the first-choice wicketkeeper.
This frustration of not getting a regular berth in the team then took him to Tripura for three seasons. When their new administration opted not to have Patel as a “visitor participant”, he moved to Goa. Ahead of the truncated 2020-21 season, he signed with Baroda, so that he could play with a “higher workforce”.
In all, Patel finished his India chapter with 3278 first-class runs in 55 games at an average close to 40, including 11 centuries and 14 half-centuries. He also featured in 43 List A matches and 28 T20s, scoring 1234 and 708 runs, respectively. Coincidentally, Patel’s final first-class and List A appearances in India came against Gujarat, his original team, in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
“No doubt I’ve moved round groups, however I solely did that as a result of I did not need to stagnate and get alternatives wherever I may,” he said. “I did not get picked in the IPL both, so I had to discover methods to maintain the wheel turning. I’ve had good stints in any respect the workforce’s I’ve represented. Tripura and Goa had been difficult as a result of I used to be taking part in for groups wanting to show themselves.”
Patel must now spend three years in the USA – including at least nine months in a year – to become eligible to qualify for the national team. He should be eligible to play for USA “if the whole lot goes to plan” in late 2022, by when he will be 29 with “my greatest years forward of me”.
“I spent a bit of time on the nationwide camp, met JAK and the others,” Patel said. “They have been fairly welcoming of me and the choice I’ve taken to attempt to forge a profession right here. I nonetheless should rating runs, carry out properly and do the whole lot requested of me to get chosen. Mere eligibility would not assure something, however I’m prepared to put in the arduous work and attempt to carve out a second coming of kinds in my profession in America.”
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
