India’s latest squad announcements have created plenty of excitement but they have also triggered debate over some notable omissions.
The Indian selection committee recently named a 16-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against England and Ireland. Shreyas Iyer emerged as one of the biggest stories after returning to the side and being appointed captain. In contrast, Suryakumar Yadav was left out of the squad. Another major talking point was the inclusion of 15 years old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi who became the youngest Indian male cricketer ever to receive a national team call-up.
While several selections attracted attention, the absence of Rajat Patidar has become a major topic of discussion. The batter recently captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a successful IPL title defence, making him only the third skipper after Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni to win back-to-back IPL trophies.
Rajat Patidar’s contribution was not limited to leadership. He also enjoyed an outstanding IPL 2026 campaign with the bat, scoring 501 runs in 14 innings at a remarkable strike rate of 192.69. His performances led many observers to believe that he had earned an opportunity in the national team.
Among those disappointed by the omission was legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh. The former India star publicly questioned the decision, pointing to Rajat Patidar’s impressive run tally and near-200 strike rate. Harbhajan suggested that a player producing such numbers and consistently delivering in the middle order deserved a place in the squad. He also praised the batter’s attacking approach and solid technique.
Harbhajan Singh tweeted, “Sad no Rajat Patidar in the indian squad. What else he needs to do ? Scored 501 runs strike rate almost 200 . Unfair @rrjjt_01 Easily the best middle order in India . Proper striker with good technique”
https://x.com/harbhajan_singh/status/2063234860022718492
The selection committee announced squads for three separate assignments — the T20I series against Ireland, the T20I series against England and the Asian Games. Despite his strong IPL season and title-winning captaincy, Rajat Patidar did not find a place in any of the three squads.
Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar addressed the issue and explained that many deserving players were discussed during the selection process. He emphasised that India has a large pool of talented cricketers competing for limited spots. According to Ajit Agarkar, difficult decisions are unavoidable but the selectors are satisfied that they have chosen a strong squad for the upcoming assignments.
