Not Vaibhav Sooryavanshi! Rajat Patidar Should Be At The Top In India's T20I Priority List

Rajat Patidar and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi [Source: AFP]

India lost their first match against Ireland on June 26, and that too in a format that the world thinks Men in Blue are a dominant force in. The first T20I had India beaten all ends up, and that is only the beginning of the glaring gaps the Men in Blue need to address.

The whole of India is currently busy with chatter about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and how the wonder-kid is ready to serve gall to international sides after he debuts for the nation. 

Sooryavanshi is not at fault here, but what the Indian cricket team and management are wide-eyed about is the weak and hollow middle order. 

The Glaring Gap That Must Be Closed Immediately

While the Indian top order has never been a problem, with plenty of talent in the pipeline alongside Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, it is the comparatively weak middle order that was exposed in the India vs Ireland 1st T20I.

This is where the likes of Rajat Patidar could have done wonders. Patidar, the two-time IPL-winning captain for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has always been ignored by the senior India management, and it was no exception in the Ireland and England T20Is as well.

While Vaibhav at 15 got his maiden call-up for the side in the Europe tour, Rajat at 33 is still waiting for his national debut. Even if one argues on the basis of batting stats, Patidar has been an exceptional hitter for RCB in the middle order, both against pace and spin bowling.

Also Read- RCB's Next Captain After Rajat Patidar Revealed

Rajat Patidar Is The Middle-Order Enforcer India Need

Rajat Patidar’s announcement in T20 cricket was an unexpected one. Came in as a replacement for RCB and became the orchestrator for IPL wins for a side that never won a trophy for 18 long years. With the bat too, Patidar have managed to get 1,612 runs for RCB at the average of 33.58 from 57 matches.

In IPL 2026, Patidar has been the second-highest run scorer for RCB after Virat Kohli with 501 runs under his belt at an average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 192.69. For the unaware, these numbers came from him while batting at No. 4.

India’s Struggle In The Middle Overs and how Patidar can fix it

In the same context, Indian batters in T20Is, especially at No. 4, have been churning out numbers not so impressive. At No. 4, since December 2025, Indian batters have averaged 38.5 but at a slow strike rate of 148.79 from 19 matches.

As a whole, the Indian middle order in 2025 managed a poor average of 26.93, while the top order in the same year blasted an average of 31.92 at 157.39.

Hence, the key point to be addressed remains the middle order, and Rajat Patidar could be one of the primary solutions because of his skills against variations and the accelerating temperament he holds in a match.

Patidar vs Pace Bowling

Rajat Patidar’s stats against pace bowling in IPL are super impressive, and they scream for attention. 

[Patidar vs pacers in IPL]

Against 597 deliveries from pacers, Patidar have faced only 33% dot balls and also has three half-centuries only against pacers. A stat card that might actually barge itself into the BCCI discussion room.

Patidar vs Spin Bowling

Against spin, Patidar is a solid hitter. He can hit hard and take on the spinners right from the start. Where the play tends to slow down, Patidar can accelerate with immaculate timing. 

[Patidar vs spin in IPL]

Striking at 174.9, Patidar has a solid advantage while playing spin, something that the Indian middle order struggles with very often in T20I cricket.

Patidar In The Middle Overs

In the middle overs too, Patidar averages 35.9 while having three half-centuries in this tenure of bowling. 

[Rajat Patidar in middle overs in IPL]

These stats underline how effective he is at getting hold of a slipping game and building an anchor to the momentum. 

There have been several instances for RCB when Patidar alone lifted the team’s innings to help them get past the 200-run mark with a paced onslaught of bowlers.

Rajat Patidar's T20I Call Up Is Need Of The Hour

Gautam Gambhir and the team management might think of Rajat Patidar as a rescue option in the middle order purely based on stats; however, it is also a fact that specialist batters in the middle order are a waste of space for the Gambhir think tank. 

This is also one of the reasons why a T20 explosive option like Rinku Singh was snubbed from the European tour. Being only a batter, Patidar’s call-up in the Indian squad is very unlikely.

Currently, the middle order is crowded with all-rounders like Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Washington Sundar, among others. 

However, as none of these options assure consistency along with dynamism, the team management should give Rajat Patidar an opportunity to prove himself in T20Is. 

Also Read- Abhishek Sharma Gives Exact Reason For India's Shocking Defeat Vs Ireland