Rajat Patidar's Comment On India Squad Selection Takes Internet By Storm

Rajat Patidar's Comment On India Snub [Source: AP]

Just days after being ignored for the Ireland and England T20I series, RCB captain Rajat Patidar hit back at Indian selectors with an indirect yet sarcastic statement that has stirred a hot debate on social media.

The BCCI-appointed selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar formally released the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England. Suryakumar Yadav was sacked as captain despite the T20 World Cup 2026 victory, while Shreyas Iyer replaced him in that role.

Rajat Patidar takes a shot at selectors

However, RCB captain Rajat Patidar, who led the franchise to two back-to-back titles, failed to find a spot in India’s T20I side. He was not even selected as backup, which irked the RCB fans as they felt Patidar was deserving of a chance.

But on the other hand, Patidar couldn’t care less. In a recent podcast with Mayanti Langer, the skipper said that he doesn’t think about India selection while batting.

After all, selection is not in his hands, and if the selectors want to, they can call him up, and if they don’t want to, Rajat Patidar is completely unaffected by it.

“I never think about it. I never thought it here that I want to play for India if I’m performing well now, then I’ll get to play India T20I. If they want to select, I’ll play. If not, don’t do it. So that remains a bit clear,” Patidar said.

sir jacob bethell era

@bet_helll

"If they want to select, I'll play and if not, don't do it" I love this guy man😭

Jun 6, 2026, 8:38 PM

That was definitely a strong statement coming from an IPL title-winning captain. In an era where every player, irrespective of their experience and stature, is dreaming of playing for India, Patidar is satisfied with his success in the IPL.

Also Read - Devdutt Padikkal To Shubman Gill- Deserving IPL Stars Ignored By BCCI For Ireland, England T20Is

Ajit Agarkar responds to Patidar’s snub

Meanwhile, chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the snub of Rajat Patidar while announcing India’s squad for Ireland and England T20Is. He admitted that Patidar was discussed, but the competition was just too high.

They had only 15 spots available. The fact that Agarkar chose a broad "there are many deserving players" explanation suggests the selectors likely viewed Patidar as unlucky rather than unworthy.

"We discuss a host of players. You don't just sit there and put down 15 names. There are a lot of good players in India. If you've watched the IPL or followed domestic cricket, there are plenty of players who look good enough to walk into the team. But the players already in the team are doing well too,” Agarkar told reporters.

Interestingly, Rajat Patidar scored 501 runs in IPL 2026 with a strike rate of nearly 193. Normally, such numbers would make selection difficult to ignore. But for now, Patidar will have to settle and accept his fate.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar also ignored

Apart from Rajat Patidar, RCB’s lead pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was also snubbed from India’s T20I team. 

The veteran seamer claimed 28 wickets in 16 matches and maintained an economy rate of 7.95 despite regularly bowling in high-pressure situations with both the new ball and at the death.

His performance played a key role in RCB’s title victory in 2026. During the tournament, Bhuvneshwar became the first Indian fast bowler to cross the 200-wicket mark in IPL history.

Interestingly, Bhuvneshwar Kumar last represented India in a T20 International against New Zealand in Napier on November 22, 2022. Since then, he has remained outside India's T20 setup despite continuing to perform in domestic cricket and the IPL.

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