Should Rajat Patidar be included in India's T20I squad?
What's the story
The incredible form of Rajat Patidar, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper, has sparked a fresh debate over his potential inclusion in the Indian T20I team. His explosive batting performance during the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans on Tuesday was nothing short of spectacular. Patidar scored an unbeaten 93 (33), hitting 9 sixes in the process. His innings helped RCB post a massive total of 254/5 and eventually win by a whopping 92 runs.
Expert opinions
Cricket experts back Patidar for Team India
Patidar's stellar performance in the ongoing IPL season has led to calls from cricket experts for his inclusion in the Indian T20I squad. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu said that Patidar is one of the few players around whom the future T20I side should be built. He added, "You need him in the T20 squad. There is no two ways about it." Ex-India opener Akash Chopra also supported Patidar's inclusion in Team India for T20Is soon.
Match impact
RCB secure IPL final berth with big win
RCB's victory over GT has secured their place in the IPL final for the second consecutive year. Patidar's explosive innings was instrumental in this win. He was adjudged the Player of the Match. The batsman took full advantage of two dropped catches. His partnership with Krunal Pandya also contributed significantly to RCB's massive total (254/5), now the highest in IPL playoff history.
Journey
A look at his journey
Patidar has already represented India in three Tests and an ODI. He first made headlines in the IPL 2022 Eliminator, coming in as a replacement player. He smashed an unbeaten 112 (54) for RCB against Lucknow Super Giants in that match. RCB then made Patidar the captain for the 2025 season. The move immediately paid the dividends as RCB won the title.
Playoffs
Do you know?
As per Cricbuzz, Patidar slammed his third 50-plus score in the IPL playoffs, including a ton. Across six innings in the IPL playoffs, the RCB skipper has smashed 338 runs at an astronomical average of 112.66. His strike rate is a staggering 193.14. Only Suresh Raina (40), MS Dhoni (28), and Kieron Pollard (25) own more sixes in the IPL knockouts/playoffs than Patidar (24).