200 sixes daily & the 'chana' factor: Secret behind CSK starlet Urvil Patel's big hits
Urvil Patel vs KKR (BCCI Photo)
NEW DELHI: Gone are the days when getting off the mark with a single was considered acceptable. With competitiveness at an all-time high, players now aspire to smash every ball for a six. While such intent is expected from proven campaigners like Andre Russell, many were left stunned after
CSK
's
Urvil Patel
smashed his second ball on
IPL debut
nonchalantly into the stands. The wicket-keeper batter maintained his fearless approach, smashing 31(11) at an astounding strike rate of 281.81, which is the highest strike-rate on
IPL
debut.
The Gujarat cricketer's six-hitting prowess has been developed on the back of an intense routine where he slams nearly 200 sixes daily.
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"Urvil had told me that he wants to slam his first ball for a six on IPL debut. He works very hard daily to achieve this impact. Our training starts with drop ball practice for two hours, followed by him smashing nearly 200 sixes," said the cricketer's coach
Prakash Patani
during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.
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"He further enhances his overall strength by working out in the gym for hours as well as running 10-15 rounds. Urvil told me, 'Sir, I'll follow as per your instructions fully,'" he added.
Interestingly, Urvil started off a pacer before switching to leg-spin. However, his coach encouraged him to become a wicket-keeper batter, considering the opportunity to open. "Urvil started off as a pacer but used to chuck the ball while attempting to bowl at a high speed. He later switched to leg-spin which worked out well. However, I asked Urvil to become a wicket-keeper batter considering his big-hitting. As a leg-spinner, he would've faced immense competition as well been forced to bat at number eight," said Patani.
Urvil's father Mukesh admitted that he was worried after his son started chucking the ball as a pacer. "I was quite tensed as Urvil used to bowl well. However, his coach said, 'Let's make a strong batter out of him' which I encouraged," he shared.
Urvil's parents have played a key role in his success, with his father's personal initiative enabling him to achieve his true potential.
"Me and my wife are teachers. I was a sprinter but couldn't achieve much. I was determined that my child will excel in some sport. Urvil started playing cricket when he was just four. My wife would wake up at 4 and prepare food, ensuring every need was fulfilled. We used to skip many events and take him to Ahmedabad from Palanpur during holidays so that he could learn some new skill," said Mukesh.
"One of the key reasons behind Urvil's big-hitting is his habit of eating chana which provides stamina. Horses eat that to run fast. He eats chana daily. While Urvil currently holds the record for the joint-fastest T20 ton (28 balls), I'm sure he will smash the fastest T20 ton," he added.
IPL 2025: The unsung heroes of India's T20 league
Urvil's parents are elated with his current success, especially at CSK. However, the cricketer's journey has also witnessed its fair share of roadblocks. "I couldn't sleep all night after he went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction and cried a lot. I was wondering, 'What is lacking?'. Urvil never shared his pain in case of non-selection despite being very sad," said Mukesh. Prakash shared that Urvil was very angry after his initial non-selection in IPL 2025.
However, fortune smiled when least expected after CSK signed Urvil as an injury replacement with just three matches left. Interestingly, the Gujarat cricketer was offered a chance to join RCB at the same time. "RCB wanted Urvil to train with them but his spot wasn't confirmed. CSK offered certainty. Hence, he decided to join them," said Mukesh.
While Urvil's family didn't watch his IPL debut against KKR, they might travel to Ahmedabad for CSK's final IPL 2025 match against GT.
"We didn't watch his debut against KKR as there was a lot of stress. Phones were switched off. Urvil's confidence in the match caught us by surprise. We might travel to Ahmedabad for the match against GT if Urvil insists," said Mukesh.
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