Patel making most of unexpected chance
SAMIT PATEL could not quite believe it when he learned of his selection for next month’s tour of South Africa. And he is determined to translate his sense of shock into a permanent international career.
The Nottinghamshire all-rounder’s recent appearance in the third Test against Pakistan in Sharjah continued a trend in which all but two of his 60 games for England have taken place either at home or in Asia.
Now, with leg-spinner Adil Rashid set to spend his winter at Australia’s Big Bash, Patel’s middle-order batting and slow leftarmers will get an unexpected chance.
‘I thought they were going to go with Moeen Ali and Rash again,’ said Patel. ‘I was very surprised.
‘I treated the UAE trip as though it was going to be my last Test tour. I wanted to come away having given it my best shot. I trained hard and hopefully won a few guys over.’
Patel’s England career has been scattered across seven years and surveyed by several coaches.
So was that his fault or the management’s? ‘I think that was mainly me,’ he said. ‘My attitude was poor and naïve. The criticism I got was probably fair — not wholly, but the majority.
‘I thought I was untouchable: I couldn’t do anything wrong. I started well against the South Africans in 2008. Everyone thought I’d carry on but it doesn’t really work like that.’
As for the criticism of England’s spinners in the UAE, Patel feels the Test team are reaping what the domestic game has sown.
He said: ‘Our wickets don’t encourage spinners — so why should people bowl spin?’
Samit Patel was attending the Chance to Shine Street Awards. Lycamobile supports the programme as part of its mission to bring communities together. Chancetoshine.org/street