When the BCCI named India’s T20I squad for Ireland and England on June 6, 2026, not one RCB player made the cut, despite the franchise having just defended the IPL title, only the third side in history to do so. Their captain, Rajat Patidar, scored 813 runs across two seasons at a strike rate of 170.44 and hit 93 not out off 33 balls in Qualifier 1, yet wasn’t considered. The squad’s age profile tells the story better than any official statement.
Patidar’s IPL Numbers Demand Selection
In IPL 2025, Patidar led RCB to the title with 312 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 143.77. In IPL 2026, defending champions and full-time captain, he went further: 318 runs in 9 innings at a strike rate approaching 200, with a middle-overs strike rate of 206.66, the highest among all non-openers in the tournament. His 93 not out against GT in Qualifier 1 came off 33 balls with 9 sixes, the highest strike rate ever recorded by a captain in a T20 fifty-plus innings. Across both seasons, his 813 runs at 170.44 placed him among the most destructive middle-order batters in world T20 cricket.
Selectors’ Age-First Policy Explained
India’s selectors are building toward two targets: the 2028 LA Olympics and the T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand that year. Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi received his maiden call-up. Tilak Varma, 23, was named vice-captain. Nitish Kumar Reddy, also 23, was retained as a future all-round option. Patidar is 33 and will be 35 in 2028. Iyer, the new captain, is 31. Where two players offer comparable value, the younger one is preferred. Agarkar, when pressed on the omission, acknowledged that India has enough players to fill the squad many times over, without once criticising Patidar’s form.
Rajat Patidar India T20I Snub Ireland England 2026
Patidar’s situation is particularly sharp. He has joined only MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as leaders who have won back-to-back IPL titles, yet he has never played a T20I for India. He has appeared in three Tests and one ODI. His T20I career has been bypassed entirely while he was winning the IPL twice. Harbhajan Singh publicly questioned the decision on social media. Subramaniam Badrinath backed the selectors, arguing competition for the middle-order spot was justified given the quality already in the squad. The table below places Patidar directly against the middle-order batters who were selected.
Player | Age | IPL 2026 Runs | Strike Rate | In India, the T20I Squad? |
Rajat Patidar | 33 | 501 | 192.61 | NO |
Shreyas Iyer (c) | 31 | 498 | 168.81 | YES |
Tilak Varma (vc) | 23 | 512 | 148.50 | YES |
Nitish Kumar Reddy | 23 | 302 | 171.20 | YES |
Abhishek Sharma | 25 | 563 | 198.92 | YES |
Who Got Patidar’s Spot and Why?
The direct competition for Patidar’s position is Iyer, who bats at No. 4 and has been handed the captaincy. Iyer scored 498 runs in IPL 2026 at 168.81, below Patidar’s 318 from fewer innings at a significantly higher rate. The gap is in age: Iyer is 31, Patidar’s 33. Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy, both 23, hold the lower middle order. Abhishek Sharma, 25, covers the top. Every middle-order slot ahead of Patidar belongs to a younger player, has an all-round dimension, or fills an established international role.
What Must Patidar Do to Get Selected?
The honest answer is that no volume of IPL runs may be enough if selectors are committed to an age-first approach. Patidar turns 35 in June 2028, by which point India’s T20 World Cup squad for Australia would almost certainly already be set around a younger core. His best realistic path to a T20I cap is an injury crisis or a form collapse among one of his direct competitors. He must keep forcing the issue through the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and whatever format offers him visibility. If India’s new cycle struggles in Ireland and England while Patidar dominates the next IPL, the pressure will build, but the Rajat Patidar India T20I snub Ireland England 2026 verdict looks structural, and structure in Indian cricket rarely reverses fast.
If Patidar scored 400 runs at 200-plus in the next IPL, would the selectors still look away? Drop your take in the comments.
FAQs
Why was Rajat Patidar not selected for the India T20I?
Patidar was left out due to India’s age-first policy targeting the 2028 LA Olympics and T20 World Cup, with the 33-year-old set to be 35 by then. Chief selector Agarkar acknowledged many deserving players were omitted but offered no criticism of Patidar’s form.
Who is India’s T20I captain for the Ireland series 2026?
Shreyas Iyer was named India’s T20I captain on June 6, 2026, replacing Suryakumar Yadav for the Ireland and England tours. Tilak Varma, 23, was appointed vice-captain as part of the selectors’ age-focused rebuild.
What is Rajat Patidar’s IPL 2026 batting record?
Patidar scored 318 runs in 9 innings in IPL 2026 at a strike rate approaching 200, with a middle-overs strike rate of 206.66, the highest among all non-openers. His 93 not out off 33 balls in Qualifier 1 against the Gujarat Titans included 9 sixes.
Is Rajat Patidar in India’s squad for England 2026?
No, Patidar was not selected for India’s T20I squads for either Ireland or England despite leading RCB to back-to-back IPL titles. He has never played a T20I for India, having appeared only in three Tests and one ODI.