the series he took three wickets and made 18 with the bat. Patel had been in the preliminary list for the player auction ahead of the 2012 Indian Premier League but opted to withdraw to concentrate on English domestic cricket as participating would have meant missing up to seven County Championship matches. 2012 Pakistan and Sri Lanka The new year began with Patel's inclusion in the England Lions squad to tour Sri Lanka in late January and early February 2012 for a one-day series. Patel played in all five matches and scored 128 runs with a highest score of 50, and was the leading wicket-taker on either side in the series with 12 wickets. When the ODI squad to face Pakistan was announced in February Patel was included. In the first ODI he made an unbeaten 17 and took 3–26, as England won by 130 runs. England won the next game by 20 runs, with Patel taking figures of 2–51. Patel was not required to bat in the third game, as England recorded a nine wicket victory. England won the fourth game by nine wickets, although Patel did not pick up a wicket. During the series, which England won 4–0, Patel was given an incremental contract by the ECB. England had suffered a 3–0 defeats in the Tests against Pakistan and when they toured Sri Lanka in March, struggling batsman Eoin Morgan was dropped and Patel was selected in the Test squad for the first time. Patel played in both Tests against Sri Lanka, batting at number 7 England lost the first Test by 75 runs, with Patel taking 2–27 in Sri Lanka's first innings, although he did not pick up a wicket in the second. He made scores of two and nine and was dismissed each time by a spin bowler. In the second match, which England won by 8 wickets, he took figures of 0–32 in Sri Lanka's first innings before making 29 with the bat. He took a wicket in the second innings to help put England in control and they went on to win the match. Patel began the English season in April with a run of low scores, amassing 33 runs from his first four innings. 2012 Australia and South Africa He was selected for the final two matches of the series against Australia. In the fourth match he did not take a wicket and