Why Rajat Patidar was ignored for India’s T20I call-up despite back-to-back IPL titles
Rajat Patidar’s omission from India’s T20I squad for the upcoming tour of Ireland and England has emerged as one of the biggest talking points from Saturday’s team selection. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain has been overlooked despite leading his side to a second Indian Premier League title and producing one of the outstanding batting seasons of IPL 2026.
Patidar’s absence stood out in a team that saw several significant changes, including appointments Shreyas Iyer as India’s new T20I captain. Iyer replaces Suryakumar Yadav, who was dropped from the team after a disappointing IPL campaign.
The selectors also handed a first international call-up to 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as India begin planning for the Los Angeles Olympics and the 2028 FIFA T20 World Cup. Tilak Varma was named vice-captain, replacing Axar Patel. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravi Bishnoi and Prince Yadav also earned places in the squad while Rinku Singh and Kuldeep Yadav missed out. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah rested on the tour.
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Chief selector Ajit Agarkar acknowledged that several deserving players were left out and pointed to the depth of talent available in Indian cricket.
“We discuss a lot of players. You don’t sit there and write 15 names. There are a lot of good players in India. If you’ve watched the IPL or watched domestic cricket, there are a lot of players who look good enough to fit into the squad. But the players who are already in the squad are also doing well. It’s not long since we won the World Cup. We think we’ve picked only really good s1 players and we’re very happy with that group,” he said Agarkar.
Patidar’s omission is particularly glaring given the season he had with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. By leading RCB to their first IPL title in 2025, he ensured the franchise built on that breakthrough rather than slipping back. Bengaluru successfully defended their crown, with Patidar leading from the front throughout the campaign.
The right-hander finished IPL 2026 with 501 runs at a strike rate of 192.69, combining consistency with aggression in the middle order. His tally included 30 fours and 42 sixes as he emerged as one of the most dangerous batsmen in the tournament.
The numbers become even more impressive when broken down by innings phase. Patidar scored just 37 runs from 43 balls in the over at a strike rate of 86.05, but his impact increased significantly once fielding restrictions were lifted. Between 7 and 11, he amassed 152 runs from 80 deliveries at a strike rate of 190.
He was even more dominant in the middle overs. Between overs 12 and 16, Patidar scored 234 runs from 108 balls at a strike rate of 216.67, putting the opposition attacks under constant pressure. He kept the momentum going at the death, scoring 78 runs off just 28 deliveries at a strike rate of 278.57.
Patidar starred in RCB’s title-winning campaign. While many middle-order batsmen have either rebuilt the innings or completed it, Patidar has done both. His ability to attack the pace and spin through the middle overs often shifted the momentum of the matches and allowed Bengaluru to keep control of the scoring rate throughout the innings.
Despite these performances, India’s middle order remains one of the most competitive areas in white-ball cricket. The selectors have largely kept faith with players who have already reached international level, while introducing younger names who are believed to be part of the team’s long-term plans.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
June 6, 2026 14:42 IST