After over two decades as a professional cricketer, Samit Patel is not quite done yet.
The 39-year-old hopes to continue playing for at least another couple of years, with Patel now plying his trade with Derbyshire and playing franchise cricket around the world. He sat down with Sky Sports News earlier this month to reflect on his upbringing, heritage and career during South Asian Heritage Month.
Growing up in the Midlands, first in Leicester and then in Nottingham, cricket was in Patel’s blood. As he puts it “cricket and India go hand in hand”. He described how he spent his upbringing following his dad around.
“I followed my old man around playing league cricket in Leicester and Nottingham. I have always been around cricket and cricket grounds, with a bat and ball in my hand,” Patel told Sky Sports News.
“You learn a lot growing up, hitting balls, people throwing balls at you, bowling and just being around the game. You learn a lot as a kid.”
Growing up, there were few South Asian role models in the England set-up, but this was not an issue for him as he was brought up watching India dominate world cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar was his role model and someone who he tried to model his own game on.
“Just watching him on TV, watching those games at Shah Jahan, dominating Australia and down the line playing against him was surreal. Those are memories you won’t forget.
“It [not having role models from the English game] wasn’t really an issue. We were looking at the TV. Role models are role models and Sachin drew a lot out of me and it was just the way he played.
“Cricket was always in my blood. Call it luck, call it destiny, I was destined to play cricket and yes, you need luck to do that and a lot of hard work. Cricket was already in my family, not at the highest level but it was there.”
As he continued his development it became clear he wanted to play cricket professionally.
“Cricket was always what I wanted to do and I was never that academic. I put all my eggs in one basket and had to make it. I was very tunnel-visioned and I still am.
“Growing up hitting, catching and bowling balls was what I did and what I enjoyed. I’ve been lucky now to play professional cricket for 23 years.
“I would have snapped your hand off for 10 years, so I am very fortunate. Growing up, was it challenging? Of course it was. I think you have to be thick-skinned.”
Samit Patel joined Derbyshire last year
However, it didn’t come without its challenges. The all-rounder impressed through the England age groups but his inclusion in the main squad was delayed due to fitness issues.
After finally making his debut during an ODI series against Scotland in 2008, Patel played over 40 times for England in Test and ODI matches.
“I actually made my ODI debut before my Test debut and it was fantastic. I think I’d worked hard four or five seasons before that and everything came together in that 2008 year where I finally did get selected to put that shirt on against South Africa and it dovetailed from there.”
Patel represented England at various age groups and in his breakthrough year, he played in 11 ODIs, impressing with 5-41 against South Africa at the Oval.
But his career stagnated amid continued fitness issues and he did not return to the England side until 2011. He made over 1,000 first-class runs that year, with 33 wickets for Nottinghamshire.
His debut series against South Africa included fellow South Asian cricketers Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara and when asked about being around the England camp at the time, Patel told Sky Sports News that it was a welcoming environment.
“It was really good to be honest, I can’t complain one bit. I was openly welcomed. I had the likes of Pietersen and Flintoff, two of the biggest names in world cricket, going head-to-head.
“Peter Moores, who picked me, was a fantastic coach and I’ve been lucky enough to work with some fantastic coaches. Peter and Andy Flower were the two that stand out. “
Recent reports of racism in the British cricket culture have highlighted issues faced by South Asians. One stereotype directed towards those from an Indian heritage is that their families may not be committed to pushing children towards sports, preferring a more academic route.
But that wasn’t the case for Patel, who said: “I was lucky enough that I had parents that backed what I wanted to do, and that’s not what the normal South Asian parents do, to be honest.
“It’s like a doctor, nurse, whatever it is, accountant. You go down that route and then cricket’s kind of a second thing in life, a hobby. That wasn’t me.”
England’s Samit Patel celebrates after taking a wicket against South Africa in an ODI in 2008
Despite idolising Tendulkar growing up and coming from an India-supporting family, there was no question in Patel’s mind that he would play for England but said he was frustrated at times with comments made by family members when facing India.
“I was born and brought up in this country and I’d always wanted to play for England. That was my goal. It was to play for England.
“I’d do anything to get there. There was no playing for India. I know all my family members would say, ‘oh it’s a great day if Samit does well and India win’.
“For them, that’s just the icing on the cake, but I used to get really frustrated by that, to be honest. And I know that my family would also get frustrated by the comments that we’d hear.”
Looking at the current crop of English talent, Patel is excited for the future and has been particularly impressed by Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir.
Ahmed, at just 18, made his England Test debut in 2022 during the Test series away at Pakistan, while Bashir was called up to the squad for England’s tour of India earlier this year, at the age of 20.
Both impressed when handed their chance, with Ahmed taking almost 30 wickets in 10 ODI and Test matches.
Bashir was selected ahead of Somerset team-mate Jack Leach for England’s series against the West Indies, where he claimed his third Test five-for in the second Test. In doing so he became the youngest England spinner to take a five-wicket haul at home.
Patel has kept a close eye on both and says the environment created by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum allows young players to flourish.
“It’s great to see. The way they bowl is exciting. They take wickets in their own, different ways. But the way Bashir’s come on really from nowhere, for someone who’s not really had any sort of pathway or anything and for Stokesy and Baz to suddenly say you’re going to jump on a Test tour to one of the toughest places to go and play cricket is a testament to Baz and Stokesy.
“I think that the way they’ve handled Bash is fantastic. I think the way they treat the likes of Mo (Moeen Ali), Rash (Adil Rashid), now Bash and Rehan, they have just been allowed to play and be their natural selves.
“Sometimes, growing up, for me and Ravi (Bopara), it was a different era of playing cricket.”
South Asian Heritage Month runs from July 18 to August 17 this year.