Did not really know what I was feeling, whether I should be happy or whether I should be sad: Harshal Patel on dealing with his ser’s passing and son’s birth

Royal Challengers Bangalore and India player recently opened up about how he dealt with the passing of his ser last year and also detailed how he felt when he saw his son being born just 7 days after the tragedy.
“When my ser passed away, I was in grief for a week. She passed away on April 9 (2022). I was in quarantine. I was talking to my niece and nephew and everyone back home. I wanted to go, hug them and cry with them. But we were doing it on the phone, because that was the only option available. Then seven days later, my son was born. So, I kind of went numb for a week, 10 days. I did not really know what I was feeling — whether I should be happy, whether I should be sad. It would all come in waves,” he said in the RCB podcast.
“There were times when I probably cried three-four times in my room every day. And then I would see my son on FaceTime and, and be extremely joyful. When you have those polar emotions, pulling at you constantly, it can be quite draining,” he added.

He also talked about how he dealt with these two extremities and went back to playing cricket.
“When something good happens or something bad happens I want to be stable. So those two weeks were a great opportunity for me to see how well I can deal with that. So, I tried to console my family in the best possible way and they tried to console me in the best possible way and we got through it. I mean, it comes with loads of introspection. If you are not honest with yourself, then it is a fool’s errand. If you are constantly trying to find reasons outside of yourself of why you are not happy or why you’re not successful, then you are not moving in the right direction. I just do not want to be affected things that are happening outside of my control and consciousness, and just be a good calming presence. When things are going wrong, I want to be the person people can lean on,” Harshal, who was the Purple Cap holder in the 2021 IPL, said.
Patel was released his franchise before the IPL mega auction but was bought back RCB for Rs 10.75 crore. Patel said that he did not expect that exorbitant amount to be spent on him and was hoping for a bid of Rs 6-7 crores.
“A lot of people asked me what my expectations were. I said I was expecting probably 6 or 7 crores because I had looked at people in my category for the past three or four seasons, and none of them made more money than that in the big auction. So I thought I can safely expect to make 5-6-7 crores. But a lot of people around me told me that it could go into double figures. I just did not believe them because I am a cautious optim. So, when that happened, it was a pleasant shock. I still remember SRH and RCB were going neck to neck and it went over INR 10 crore. I really wanted to come back and play for RCB. So I thought to myself, Okay, it is enough. I do not want one more bid, I am okay with the money I have got, I want to go back to RCB,” he said.
But Harshal emphasised that the amount has given him a certain degree of freedom in life to make choices. In fact, Harshal had joined the Delhi Capitals for Rs 20 lakh in 2018 before getting traded to RCB ahead of IPL 2021.
“It gives me choices, freedom. So if I continue to play at this price or even if I do not continue to play at this price, I do not really think I need to base any of my life decisions on how much money am I getting? I am not an extravagant person. I do not really need a lot of money. But money is a tool to freedom. That is how I look at it,” he said.