‘India must look at Rajat Patidar’: Irfan Pathan urges rethink of T20 batting combination

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar (ANI Photo) India’s batting line-up in the second T20I against England has sparked fresh debate, with former all-rounder Irfan Pathan suggesting that the team management should seriously consider including Rajat Patidar in the side to ensure a better balance. India fielded as many as seven left-handed batsmen in their playing XI at Old Trafford, including 15-year-old debutant Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became the latest left-hander to join an already heavily left-handed top order. Although Pathan did not describe the squad as an immediate issue, he believes the lack of right-handed options makes Patidar a compelling candidate as India continue to fine-tune their squad ahead of the next T20 World Cup.

contributed by Irfan Pathan

“Looking at the number of left-arm batsmen in the Indian T20 team right now, it’s all the more reason for Team India to look at Rajat Patidar in the future,” Pathan wrote on X. “I really hope he gets an opportunity, especially as Team India still has a lot of time to experiment before the next T20 World Cup.” Patidar strengthened his case with a stellar IPL 2026 campaign as he captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second straight title, scoring 501 runs in 14 innings. He maintained an excellent strike rate of 192.69 and was one of the best players of the tournament. Despite representing India in three Tests and one ODI, the 33-year-old is still waiting to make his first T20I appearance. His domestic T20 record is equally impressive, with 3,389 runs from 106 innings at a strike rate of 160.08. India’s batting line-up came under scrutiny after their four-wicket defeat to England in Manchester. The loss handed the hosts a 1-0 lead in the five-match series and marked India’s third defeat in the last four T20Is, with the remaining match ending in a draw. Shreyas Iyer’s side posted 190/7 after useful contributions from Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, the captain himself and a late breakthrough from Tilak Varma. However, England chased down the target with an over to spare, largely thanks to Jacob Bethell’s unbeaten 76, Harry Brook’s explosive 39 and Tom Banton’s valuable support. England’s bowling attack also impressed, with Sam Curran, Jofra Archer and Will Jacks playing key roles in restricting India, despite the visitors ending up with a competitive total.