10 Interesting facts about Samit Patel the English all-rounder

10 Interesting facts about Samit Patel the English all-rounder: Samit Patel’s tryst with cricket began long ago when he was just 18. The English all-rounder made his debut in first-class and List A matches in the year 2002. In those days, he was one of the most successful cricketers in this genre of the game.

After years of hard work, he made it to England’s ODI national squad but even after 7 years he hasn’t been able to cement his spot in the national squad. In one word, Samit Patel’s career is all about his love for cricket despite his inability to win the confidence of the selectors for being a little overweight than his fellow teammates. Here

1. Born and brought up:

Samit Patel was born in Leicester, England to Gujarati parents – Rohit and Sejal – who migrated from India long ago.

2. Early days:

Samit got his higher education from Worksop College in North Nottinghamshire where he was a member of 1^st XI cricket team for a few seasons.

3. College cricket:

Samit Patel has successfully represented England at under-15, under-17 and under-19 levels in college cricket. He helped his team win against MCC, Manchester Grammar School, Shrewsbury School and others.

4. Nottinghamshire debut:

Samit Patel’s consistent form in college cricket got him selected for Nottinghamshire when he was just 16. He recorded the first ever double-wicket-maiden against Derbyshire in 2006 which is still a record in the history of English T20 contest.

5. County Championship 2007:

The right-hand batsman accomplished huge success at the County Championship 2007 when he recorded 887 runs and claimed 10 wickets in the tournament.

6. Fitness woes:

Fitness issue has always been an intricate part of Samit Patel’s cricket career. He couldn’t get out of it anytime. According to some media reports, he weighed around 100 kg in 2011. However, he has definitely worked upon that yet it didn’t help him win the confidence of selectors.

7. County Championship 2009:

Patel once again demonstrated his fiery form in the domestic circuit by scoring 712 runs in 15 matches in this tournament. He also chipped in 32 wickets with 2 five-wicket hauls in this championship.

8. England’s tour of India 2012:

Samit Patel was included in the England squad that toured India in October 2012 for 5 ODIs and 1 T-20. Though, England lost the series 5-0 yet Patel played well scoring 160 runs at an average of 45 and claimed 4 wickets as well.

9. Come back after 3 years:

Staying absent from England’s national team for more than 3 years, Samit Patel was included in the squad for a series against Pakistan in October 2015, but he couldn’t play as per the expectation.

10. Hugh Morris’s words:

Despite all the talents, Samit Patel is somewhere lost in the world of cricket where fitness is the key. Hugh Morris, the director of English Cricket Board (ECB), said that every player has to follow the strict fitness criteria that board prescribed. Unfortunately, he had failed to cope up with it towards the start of his international career. But Patel is trying to fit in now and has shed a few pounds.