Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged the selectors to include Rajat Patidar in the Indian team for the national T20I team following India's four-wicket defeat to England in the second T20I.
India's poor performance in the shortest format has continued under Iyer's tutelage. When he was replaced as T20I Captain by Suryakumar Yadav, Iyer had a bad start with a historic 0-2 whitewash against Ireland in a two-match series. England's struggles have continued in the five-match T20I series where the first match was washed out and the hosts won the series in Manchester.
With the criticism on India, Pathan thinks the team should use the period leading to the next ICC T20 World Cup to test new players and name Rajat Patidar as a strong candidate.
"Looking at the variety of left-hand batters in the Indian T20 team right now, it’s even more of a reason for Team India to look at Rajat Patidar going forward," Pathan wrote on X.
"I really hope he gets an opportunity, especially since there is still plenty of time for Team India to experiment before the next T20 World Cup."
Patidar is yet to make his T20I debut but his domestic record in the format makes a compelling case for selection. The right-handed batter has 3,389 runs in 106 T20 innings at an impressive strike rate of 160.08, making him one of India’s most destructive batters in the shortest format.
Patidar has also impressed as a leader in franchise cricket. Royal Challengers Bengaluru won back-to-back Indian Premier League titles in 2026 and he became a captain of the franchise— with a reliable batter as well as a successful captain.
England, on the other hand, was clinical to defeat India by four wickets while chasing 191. And although India got off to a perfect start with Arshdeep Singh scoring twice in the first over, England responded with Harry Brook who took 39 off just 15 balls and that momentum turned in the hosts' favour.
Jacob Bethell then anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten 76 from 46 deliveries, while Tom Banton contributed a valuable 39 to keep England on course.
In the 17th over bowled by Ravi Bishnoi it was the turning point of the contest. The leg-spinner conceded 29 runs including two no-balls that resulted in two free hits, and England took complete control of the chase.
Earlier, India had a competitive total of 190/7, but England's disciplined batting, intelligent game management and powerful finish saw them reach the target with an over to spare.
The defeat has put even more pressure on Shreyas Iyer whose tenure as India's T20I captain has yet to catch up. With the next T20 World Cup just around the corner, this can lead to further talk about the squad and leadership and Pathan's support for Rajat Patidar will only make the situation worse.
