"Whenever I have played my natural game, I have gotten results" - Urvil Patel wills his way to the top [Exclusive]

“Believe in yourself, and the world will believe in you,” they say.

Gujarat pinned their hopes on Urvil Patel when Bengal set them a target of 327 from 70-odd overs on a treacherous Eden Gardens pitch on the final day of their Ranji Trophy 2025-26 clash. The 27-year-old was yorked by Shahbaz Ahamad for 15 in the first innings. And as he walked back to the team bus at the end of Day 2, he seemed unimpressed and discussed his dismissal with head coach Ramesh Powar.

“I didn’t think so much, because it was a soft dismissal at the end of the day. I couldn’t have done much about it. So the discussion was about how I could do things better in the second innings,” Urvil Patel said in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.

The run-chase got off to a disastrous start as Mohammad Shami removed opener Abhishek Desai off the very first ball. Out came Urvil Patel, above his usual batting slot.

“We were going for the chase, and that’s why I was promoted to No. 3. And the message was very clear: play my natural game. Because they knew that if I played well, then we would have had a realistic shot at chasing down the target. So I was asked to go out there and play the way I usually play,” he stated.

The move paid dividends. On a track which the Bengal batters claimed was difficult for survival, Urvil raced to a 96-ball century. The keeper-batter threatened to flip the script as the hosts, who were confident of all six points, suddenly had 174 runs to defend and seven wickets to take. The partnership with Jaymeet Patel surged to 103.

And then, there was an anti-climax. Urvil Patel was down on the ground, holding his left hand up and writhing in pain.

“My whole body cramped up – I had cramps in the legs, in my fingers, because of which I couldn’t even grip the bat. So the physio asked me to go off for some time,” he reasoned.

Bengal got a foot in the door. Between Urvil retiring hurt with cramps and walking back out, Gujarat lost three wickets to be reduced to 162 for six. He came out once again, to cheers from the partisan and sparse crowd.

“Koi option hi nahin tha, na. Mujhe aana hi tha,” he chuckles.

It didn’t matter, though. The visitors could add only another 23 runs as Abhimanyu Easwaran and Co. made it two wins on the trot. But it wasn’t just Urvil Patel’s resilience that shone that day. While Shami ran through the Gujarat batting with eight wickets in the match, Urvil looked rock solid in defence to go with his array of strokeplay.

“This would be the best innings of my life in red-ball cricket. Bengal have arguably the best pace attack in the country. And I had decided to take the attack to them. Yes, they are all big names; they have represented India. But at the same time, I was not looking at the bowlers but instead looking to play each and every delivery. I had been preparing and visualising since the previous day about how I would bat. And I think that paid off,” he exclaimed with pride.

As he took off his gloves and pads in front of the Eden Gardens clubhouse, he seemed lost and reflective and stared out into nothingness. The moment was broken by deserved applause from the media in the lower tier.

“From a player’s perspective, milestones do matter. But at the same time, the milestone tastes sweeter if it comes in a winning cause. So keeping the century aside, the loss was on my mind because of which I got sad in that moment,” Urvil said.

The 109* off 124 deliveries – for the quality of the knock and the situation it came in – earned him the respect of everybody. He stepped out of the CAB lobby to a buzzing reception. Reporters went up to congratulate, while fans walked parallel to him on the other side of the gate, pleading for selfies and autographs.

“It feels great when you go somewhere after performing well and people appreciate you. So as a player and a human being, it feels really nice when you get so much love,” he stated.

It all started with tremendous belief in himself and his abilities. That’s what helped him smash a 28-ball 50 on his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy debut against heavyweights Mumbai. All elite sportspersons talk about controlling the controllables, but to walk the talk as a 19-year-old was special.

“I didn’t understand so many things back then, especially since I was promoted straight from Under-19. Even at that time, I was simply asked to play the way I played in age-group cricket. And whenever I have played my natural game, more often than not, I have gotten results. I didn’t have any targets in mind. I was grateful for the opportunity I got, and by god’s grace, I had a good start to my career,” Urvil Patel elaborated.

“I have an attacking game from age-group cricket only; these skills gave me results at that level as well. And that’s why I am trying to develop those very skills in senior cricket and trying to implement them in matches,” he added.

Urvil represented Baroda in his debut season in 2017-18. He shifted base to Gujarat the following year to stay closer to family. His cricketing journey started in Palanpur, where a cricket-loving father wanted his son to follow in his footsteps.

“It all started because of my father. He liked cricket, which is why he got me into the sport. I was initially a fast bowler, but I would end up chucking. My coach then told dad that fast bowling wasn’t my cup of tea. That’s when sir suggested I keep wickets because he was a wicketkeeper himself. And that’s how it all started,” he said.

Rings a bell? And it wasn’t all smooth sailing, either.

Baroda gave him regular opportunities, albeit from opening the innings to batting all the way down at No. 9. The competition at Gujarat, meanwhile, seemed more cut-throat. Urvil was dropped following consecutive ducks in T20s. In that 2018-19 season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the then 20-year-old got the axe after just two outings under Parthiv Patel’s captaincy.

Did insecurity start affecting his performances?

“No, I won’t say that. I also didn’t understand what was happening at that time because I didn’t have much idea about how things worked. My association has backed and supported me a lot, because of which I have come so far. But as a player, that phase was a learning curve for me. Looking back, now that I have started to understand things better, I would say that period was really helpful. So I can’t really call it a low phase. And for the interests of the team, you might have to bat at No. 11 and also open the innings,” Urvil Patel explained.

In his first three T20 seasons for Gujarat, he managed only 201 runs at a timid average of 14.35. The quickfire half-century on debut seemed long lost in the shadows of zilch fifty-plus scores in the years after. His List A journey turned more pathetic as he wasn’t picked for four consecutive Vijay Hazare seasons.

And he’d be the first to admit it was his performance, or the lack of it, that took away vital years of his career. But most importantly, he didn’t let it affect his love for the game or his confidence.

“I played T20s for the senior team. And whenever I didn’t get picked or get an opportunity, I went and played for the Under-23 and Under-25 sides. There was no disappointment as such, because I went to the lower grades and dominated there and played well. I just wanted to perform well, regardless of the tournament or team. So I didn’t have such negative thoughts. Moreover, those things weren’t really in my control,” Urvil Patel said.

The Covid-19 pandemic, as it did worldwide, forced him to sit back and understand and appreciate the very essence of being. In the 2022-23 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Urvil smashed 84 off 37 balls against Bihar in a match where none of his teammates crossed 30. It wasn’t like he put together a string of big knocks, but he ensured Gujarat got off to a good start in every single game. It also helped that he started regularly opening the batting.

“There were a few changes in mindset. I obviously worked really hard to be ready for whenever I got any opportunity. But apart from that, I worked a lot on my mind – how to handle pressure, how to play with a relaxed mind. And I have now regularly played white-ball cricket for the past two-three years.

"Credit also goes to our coach Ramesh Powar sir, who understands my game and has always backed it. I also took advice from a lot of our senior players at that time to understand how to perform under pressure. All in all, I have played with a relaxed mind, backed my natural game, and kept my self-confidence high and told myself, ‘Main toh perform kar hi lunga,’" he elaborated.

Urvil weeded out any self-doubt, garnishing the belief in himself. Being signed by the Gujarat Titans (GT) for IPL 2023 gave him a further push.

“Yes, precisely, my progress happened after being in the IPL. I got to learn the routine of some of the greats of our game, how they trained, and what their mindset was. So those two-three months were a massive learning process. And those things helped me when the next domestic season came about,” he said.

It also presented a chance to pick the brains of one of his batting heroes, Hardik Pandya.

“In terms of batting, I like Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. I feel their style of batting is similar to mine. I was with Hardik bhai at GT and he gave me valuable advice on where I was making mistakes and how to rectify them,” Urvil Patel revealed.

But it met with yet another disappointing end. After sitting out the entire season, he was not retained by what was his home franchise. To be fair, he didn’t have a single fifty-plus score in the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, although his strike rate was a terrific 202.46.

---

Another CSK fairytale

MS Dhoni poses with Urvil Patel and his family during IPL 2025

To compound his woes, Gujarat opted for Het Patel as their wicketkeeper to kickstart the Vijay Hazare season. A day after being released by GT, Urvil Patel was asked to don the gloves in a rather inconsequential game against Arunachal Pradesh. One of Urvil’s greatest strengths is to remain unfazed by the past and focus on the task at hand. After enduring so many downfalls and overcoming them all, he knows the importance of being prudent.

“I wasn’t thinking so much. Because I knew I could control only things that were in my control. I didn’t want to ruin my upcoming matches by thinking about the release. I also didn’t look to break any records or anything. I just played my natural game, which I have trust in,” he told Sportskeeda.

He smashed the second-fastest hundred by an Indian in List A cricket, behind Yusuf Pathan (40 balls vs Maharashtra in 2010), who incidentally was Urvil’s teammate on debut. Chasing a modest 160, Gujarat coasted home in 13 overs, thanks to his maiden century off 41 balls.

“I got appreciated by the people who have always supported me. I got many messages back then, I receive messages even now, but it doesn’t matter much,” he said.

He followed it up with an 83-ball 86 versus Uttar Pradesh and yet another blistering century against Himachal Pradesh to propel Gujarat into the knockouts. But he doesn’t let success get to his head. He knows the winds of change spare no one and he’d always have to start from scratch.

This attitude has helped him through challenging times as well. It didn’t deter him after he went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, despite putting on carnage the previous domestic season. Urvil maintains his soft-spoken demeanour even while recalling his plight.

“Again, that was not in my control. You can’t really understand what went down or how you can make things better. So during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, I just didn’t want it to affect my tournament. I told myself that two matches were done, the IPL auction was over, and I had to play well in the next five games. And I had full faith in god that if I performed well, I would definitely get an opportunity somewhere because there were still about four-five months left for the IPL,” he reflected.

Lightning doesn’t strike twice, surely?

Two days after all 10 teams raised the paddle in Jeddah, none interested in Urvil Patel, he recorded a 28-ball century against Tripura in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. This time, he comfortably broke Rishabh Pant’s record, which also put him second on the all-time list, behind only Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan. One always brings two for Urvil, and he struck another 36-ball ton against Uttarakhand a week later.

He hit a whopping 29 sixes from six matches in the tournament, two more than second-placed Rajat Patidar, who played three more innings.

“Whenever I practice, I keep two days a week for range hitting. I hit 100 sixes on each of those two days, and I am reaping the rewards now,” he disclosed.

Urvil Patel's conversation with Sportskeeda is peppered with him reiterating his faith in god. His self-belief also comes from a place of deep devotion to their local goddess, and it makes for a powerful force.

“I am extremely devoted to the goddess we have in our home. If I am home, I perform pujas and other rituals as well. I always keep her in mind and I truly believe she is always with me. I have her on my phone wallpaper. In Gujarati, we all worship different goddesses,” Urvil Patel said.

Can you imagine being confident of getting an opportunity despite getting ignored by all 10 IPL teams? And it was only divine justice that he got to share the dressing room with his idol MS Dhoni. Urvil was signed by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a replacement after Vansh Bedi got ruled out towards the end of the league stage.

“Everyone has a dream to meet Mahi bhai. I grew up watching Mahi bhai. He was my everything. His knock in the 2011 World Cup final inspired me a lot. It was the best feeling when Mahi bhai welcomed me and handed my debut cap. I can’t explain to you in words how that feeling was, I could only feel it,” he exclaimed.

From accidentally starting wicketkeeping to coming lower down the order to now holding the fort with the bat – it all made sense now.

“I didn’t have much interaction with Mahi bhai because there were only a few days left for the tournament when I joined. But whatever little discussion I had with him, he mainly told me how to stay mentally strong. And I am following that and it feels nice,” he added.

During his very first practice session with CSK, Urvil Patel was told he would make his IPL debut the next day against KKR at Eden Gardens. And he had to walk out at none for one into a vociferous cauldron. Expect no surprises: he slashed and missed a wide delivery, before flicking Vaibhav Arora for a majestic six off the very next ball. Another one for those ‘first IPL shot was a six’ quiz questions.

Moeen Ali bore the brunt of it the following over – two sixes sandwiching a boundary hit off the back foot and over covers. Fully aware that the IPL isn't kind to its fringe players, Urvil's 31 off 11 deliveries was steeped in audacity.

“For the IPL as well, I had the same thought process that I had during the Mushtaq Ali. I knew I got the opportunity by god’s grace and I wanted to make it count. I didn’t want any negative thoughts to creep in by thinking about what would happen if I failed. Our coach told me directly to play the way I have always played. It wasn’t like they told me I’d play all the matches, but I knew I had to play bindaas. I just went out there and expressed myself, and I got the desired results,” he explained.

It was poetic that he capped off a memorable season with a 19-ball 37 on his home ground, helping CSK beat the team that didn’t retain him two years back.

---

"There is always a god's plan" - Urvil Patel

Urvil Patel acknowledges the Gujarat dressing room after his 96-ball hundred versus Bengal

While his limited-overs career set sail, it also coincided with a disastrous introduction to red-ball cricket. Urvil Patel registered a duck at No. 6 on debut and was dropped for the very next match. He returned as an opener and scored 14 off 22 balls before recording a king pair versus Railways. He got no further opportunity in Ranji Trophy 2023-24.

“It was my first year in red-ball cricket and I found it difficult after coming from the shorter formats. But I tried to find out my weaknesses, where I made mistakes, and worked on them accordingly. So yeah, it was challenging at the start, but I have now cracked the code. I worked on certain skills which you need to polish further for red-ball cricket,” Urvil Patel continued in the half-hour chat with Sportskeeda.

He was benched after just three matches last year as well. But he roared back with a counter-punching 140 off 197 balls in the quarterfinal versus Saurashtra. Since the start of the last Ranji season, Urvil has scored 670 runs at an average of 39.41 and a strike rate of 78.82 in red-ball cricket. But his deployment and impact go far beyond the numbers.

“This one against Bengal is my favourite out of the two. It came against a quality pace attack and on a fourth-innings surface on the fourth day. It was a difficult wicket as well, so this hundred will rank higher,” he guffawed.

Gujarat have baggage from the last semifinal when they fell just two runs short of making the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 final.

“It hurt a lot at that time. But there’s something called destiny; there is always a god’s plan. So we reflected on that entire season, figured out where we needed to improve, and will now target to reach the finals in this edition,” Urvil said.

Years of hard work, disappointment, and an unflinching resolve reached a crescendo with his IPL debut at Eden Gardens. His spurt got accentuated by the best innings of his life recently at the same venue. Surely an India debut here down the road?

“Again, it’s not in my hands. What I can do is perform well in every innings, in every match. How it will happen depends on god. It’s quite simple: perform karte raho, kahin na kahin upar wala dekh raha hai, aur tumhe mauka kahin na kahin mil sakta hai. I need to work on my consistency and I am focusing more on that aspect,” he concluded with a trademark answer.

Like so many of his knocks, Urvil Patel's career has taken off and how. There was a time when he didn't know if he'd get a game. Now, teams know that the game isn't over as long as he is batting.

---