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Leicestershire opener Rishi Patel says his excellent start to the season has finally convinced him that he is good enough to play at first-class level.

The 24-year-old has scored 517 runs in five Championship games, including his first three centuries.

Chats with former England batter James Taylor and spending part of the winter in India helped boost his confidence.

"At the end of last season, I didn't want to see another cricket bat for six weeks," he told ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Leicester.

Patel only averaged 24.86 from eight Championship appearances last summer, with a highest score of 99, and so the rush of runs which have helped Leicestershire avoid defeat so far this season has slightly taken him by surprise.

"It's been an unexpected start, but a good start. I haven't scored consistent runs in the last couple of years so it's [been about] finding that balance between learning to play at this level and feeling confident that I was good enough at this level," he said.

"After you get your first one, and then you back it up, and then another one last week, suddenly now I feel I'm good enough to be at this level, the things I've done in the winter have worked and I can trust that process."

Patel went to India with the main aim of improving his technique against spin.

But spending time at the crease in the heat also had the important benefit of improving his endurance.

"I only had to bat for two sessions a week and they'd be for like two hours, so long afternoon sessions where I'd be stopping every half hour, 40 minutes to get a drink of water," the right-hander explained.

"That helped me in learning to bat for as long as I can, in that heat, which makes it a lot easier when I'm out there [in England], mentally I feel a lot fresher, not as fatigued when I'm batting.

"The sub-continent has a lot of good players and a lot of cricket in general. It's very much a culture shock for a lot of club players when you get out there, but it's fantastic when you get out there.

"I've been there once before, also to Mumbai, so I knew what it was like. It's one of the reasons I went, because it's not Australia, it's not South Africa.

"At that point in time, it was a nice, different break to where everyone else goes and I could just focus on myself."

Patel began the season with 125 in the second innings against Yorkshire and followed that with a career-best 134 not out against Glamorgan and exactly 100 in last week's draw with Sussex.

Only India Test star Cheteshwar Pujara, who is captaining Sussex, has scored more runs - 545 - in Division Two so far this season, and no-one else has reached 400.

Patel admitted that adjusting to life in the East Midlands from his native Essex in 2020 had not been "the smoothest of rides" but some tough words from head coach Paul Nixon last September also played a part in his development.

"From what I've done this winter to what I did the last couple of years, I wasn't even a pro cricketer really, I was sport of taking it as it comes, very happy go lucky," he added.

"We had an appraisal at the end of last season and I thought he was a bit harsh, but I think he was right when he said I don't do enough work, I don't hit enough balls.

"I came back and thought 'I'm going to prove you wrong'."