A medium paced bowling allrounder capable of swinging the ball both ways. Made his debut for the USA in 2011, but has never commanded a regular spot in the team.
Japen has continued to work hard on his fitness and his game, and has added a yard of pace to his bowling in recent times.
Until that point it had been his father’s sport that they would sometimes watch together on TV. The only cricketer he knew was Sachin Tendulkar. Having never had played the sport before he started as a wicketkeeper. Couldn’t bat, couldn’t bowl, but as a baseball player he knew how to field. And so he effectively set about trying to teach himself the game from scratch, until one day a chance encounter on the cricket field would put a supercharger on his development, and change the trajectory of his life.
During the match in question Patel was the wicketkeeper as usual, but also managed to score a quickfire 50 or 60 batting at number 9. His team was getting hammered in pursuit of a big total, and his effort effectively reduced the losing margin to a respectable one.
It was none other than Monty Desai, the coach and head talent scout for the Rajasthan Royals. He said that he was impressed with Patel, and had seen some potential in him. He asked if Patel would like to receive some coaching from Desai.
The offer was more than just a standard coaching arrangement however, with Desai offering Patel a chance to spend time in India training alongside the Rajasthan Royals development squad. An incredible opportunity for someone who was effectively still learning the game. And so Patel quit his job and headed to the land of his birth. After four months of being exposed to some of the world’s greatest cricketers he had well and truly caught the cricket bug.
The players passion and discipline had a marked effect on Patel, and he knew that he wanted to play cricket at the highest level.
So on returning to the United States he settled into a rigorous schedule. He worked from 8 to 5 and then trained until 9 or 10pm, often not getting home until after 11pm. His hard work was paying dividends however, and in 2011 he was picked in the USA National team for the first time to play against Canada in the Auty Cup in Fort Lauderdale.
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