Rishi Can Play For England | James Taylor Praises Patel Form

After a stunning opening half of the 2024 Vitality Blast campaign, Assistant Coach James Taylor has tipped Foxes opener Rishi Patel for future England honours.

2023’s Batter of the Year is flying the flag for Leicestershire as the competition’s second highest run-scorer, striking 281 runs at an average of 40.14 from his opening seven matches. He’s just four shy of top spot heading into Friday’s clash at East Midlands rivals Northamptonshire.

“I see no reason why Rishi can’t play for England,” Taylor told Foxes TV. “He’s incredibly motivated for higher honours which drives him forward, and ultimately that helps Leicestershire in the long run.”

Patel has consistently scored runs at the top of the order for the side during the first half of the Blast campaign, making six scores above 30. It’s a run of form that’s impressed his batting coach.

“Rishi’s been outstanding. He’s been the mainstay for us and set crucial platforms for the middle order to cash in. The beauty about Rishi is he doesn’t have to change his technique between formats. When he’s on song, he’s got so many options and the ability to manoeuvre the field where he wants.”

Capable of anchoring an innings or getting Leicestershire off to explosive starts, Patel’s ability to move through the gears has also pleased Taylor.

“I think Rishi’s adapted to conditions really well. Sometimes he’s gone from the word go but on other occasions he’s soaked up pressure because we’ve lost wickets at unfortunate times. He’s been flexible to the demands of each game’s situation, and that’s what’s set him apart.

“The reason he’s able to show us both sides of his game is because he has so many options. He’s got options down the ground, and square of the wicket, so he can adapt to different grounds. If it’s smaller straight like it is at Grace Road and bigger square, he’s got the game for that. Equally if it’s the other way round he can score both sides of the wicket.”

After topping the run-scoring charts, and hitting a swashbuckling century against Durham, in the Vitality Blast last year, Patel has found a way to up his game yet again.

“I think he’s grown and learned his game incredibly well,” says Taylor. “Rishi’s worked tirelessly on his technique, and the fact he doesn’t have to change between formats helps him significantly. That’s why he’s so consistent in red and white ball cricket. He’s got the power and the technical game. That’s rare.”

A relentless ambition to get better renders Patel a coach’s dream. It’s an asset Taylor believes can help take the opener right to the top.

“Rishi’s incredibly coachable and desperate to get better, as well as learn from his experiences all the time. It really helps he plays all formats and has played a lot of cricket in the past two years. That desire to constantly learn really helps him to be consistent and keep getting better.

“He’s always asking questions. It’s never a case of me holding his hand. He does it himself in the indoor school on the bowling machine on his own. He puts in the hours people don’t see as well as me throwing balls at him. He drives his own standards as much as we help him get better and that’s the sign of a world class player.”

To watch Rishi in action during the Vitality Blast, click HERE.