Harshal Patel has officially rejoined Gujarat after 14 years with Haryana, marking a significant shift ahead of the Ranji Trophy season. The veteran pacer confirmed his decision after completing paperwork and will attend Gujarat’s pre-season camp later this month. The camp includes a tri-series featuring Baroda and Saurashtra. The 33-year-old’s return is a homecoming. Born in Gujarat, Harshal made his List A debut for the state in 2008-09 following a strong Under-19 stint. His career trajectory changed in 2010 when he moved to Haryana after struggling for opportunities in Gujarat’s setup. That move defined his cricketing life, leading to a first-class debut in 2011-12 and a prolonged stay as Haryana’s strike bowler. Across formats, Harshal picked 246 wickets from 74 first-class games at an average of 24, including 12 five-wicket hauls. Speaking about the move, he said, “Right from 2010-11 since my Under-19 days, almost the entirety of my professional career has been with Haryana, I owe a lot to them. If that move to Haryana as an 18-year-old hadn’t worked out for me, I would have probably moved to the USA and not played cricket in India.” Read also: Cautious Cricket Australia cuts Pat Cummins' name from white ball series against India and New Zealand Family Priorities and Future Plans Harshal revealed family was the main reason for the switch. Splitting his time between Ahmedabad and the USA, where he has extended family, became increasingly difficult. He said “It was getting difficult for me to be away from the family for long periods of time. So I wanted to come back and see if I could finish my career here. Glad I got an opportunity to do that." Though another team had expressed interest, he approached Gujarat first. He added, “I first asked Anil Patel [secretary, Gujarat Cricket Association] and he was gracious enough to say, ‘this is your home, welcome back.’ Having come back, I’m open to play everything and anything that the team wants me to play."