Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Recently heavily revised Indian men’s T20I squad for the upcoming tours was announced ireland And England, together with asian games Roaster. While the selection made massive headlines, including Shreyas Iyer took over the reins of captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav And a historic first call-up for the 15-year-old batting talent Vaibhav SuryavanshiThis is a glaring omission that has sparked intense debate. Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has openly expressed its frustration, strongly supported Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Rajat Patidar The middle-order maestro has once again been left out of India’s T20I plans.
Harbhajan Singh criticizes selectors for ignoring Rajat Patidar in India’s T20 plans
Taking to social media immediately after the official squad announcement, Harbhajan did not comment on the RCB skipper’s exclusion. The legendary off-spinner questioned what more the right-handed batsman needs to do at the domestic and franchise stage to gain the confidence of the selectors.
“The absence of Rajat Patidar in the Indian team is sad. What else does he need to do? Scored 501 runs, strike rate around 200. Unfair 💔 @rrjjt_01 Easily the best middle order in India. proper striker with good technique“Harbhajan posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Harbhajan’s public criticism highlights a selection conundrum that has baffled fans and pundits. despite this Tilak Verma Having been promoted to vice-captaincy and with a clear shift towards a young T20I core, Patidar’s absence comes as a major anomaly, especially given his unparalleled impact in high-pressure situations over the last two years.
The absence of Rajat Patidar in the Indian team is sad. What else does he need to do? Scored 501 runs, strike rate around 200. inappropriate 💔 @rrjjt_01 Easily the best middle order in India. proper striker with good technique
-Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) 6 June 2026
Statistics and leadership milestones are driving feedback
The root cause of Harbhajan’s frustration is Patidar’s meteoric rise as a destructive batsman and an elite leader. He famously guided Royal Challengers Bangalore to their historic, maiden IPL title in 2025, breaking an 18-year trophy drought for the franchise. Far from a one-season wonder, Patidar doubled down on his success by captaining RCB consecutively in the 2026 season, cementing his reputation as a modern icon.
From a purely analytical perspective, Patidar’s numbers make it incredibly difficult to justify his exclusion in a format that heavily rewards intent and boundary-hits:
| metric | Rajat Patidar (IPL 2026 Statistics) |
| total runs | 501 runs in 15 matches |
| strike rate | Constantly approaching 200 |
| batting average | 41.75 |
| sixes clear | max 42 |
Patidar has uniquely mastered the art of organic acceleration in the middle overs, eliminating spin and pace with equal pace, without sacrificing textbook cricket technique. By selecting an incredibly young roster, but leaving out India’s most in-form, championship-winning middle-order anchor, the selectors have created a high-stakes story for the upcoming tours. Whether this youthful experiment will pay off remains to be seen, but for now, Patidar’s omission remains an unresolved controversy in Indian cricket.
Also read: Sachin Tendulkar praises Rajat Patidar’s captaincy after RCB’s consecutive IPL title wins