India's shock 2-0 T20I series defeat to Ireland has triggered widespread criticism of the team management, but amid the frustration, one name has consistently
emerged across social media: Rajat Patidar.
After India's middle order struggled in both matches in Belfast, fans questioned why one of the IPL's most destructive batters never got an opportunity despite being in red-hot form over the past two seasons.
'Need Rajat Patidar' trends after another batting collapse
India's batting failed in both games against Ireland, first being bowled out for 148 while chasing 183 before falling agonisingly short of 155 in the second T20I.
The defeats exposed India's fragile middle order in seaming conditions, with established names like Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar failing to consistently deliver across the two matches.
Breaking news🚨
- seema (@SeemaDhoni) June 29, 2026
After yesterday's shameful loss against Ireland, BCCI have arranged an urgent meeting including sourav ganguly, Gautam Gambhir, Shreyas iyer and they called Rajat patidar and told him that We still don't need you rajat pic.twitter.com/Y1Oz9QKn9K
As criticism mounted online, many supporters argued Patidar was the missing piece.
Need Rajat Patidar
- SportsClaus (@sportsclaus) June 29, 2026
One fan simply posted, "Need Rajat Patidar. "
Rajat Patidar sabse jyada deserve karta hai
- Moon (@mooncastic) June 29, 2026
Another wrote:
"Rajat Patidar sabse jyada deserve karta hai. "
And if washington Sundar, Anshul kamboj, Harshit Rana plays all formats and performers like Kartik tyagi,Rasik salam and Rajat Patidar are not even considered. Who is responsible. Gautam Gambhir should stop his politics.
- Devender Kumar Menon (@devendermenon) June 29, 2026
🚨 MISTAKES OF GAUTAM GAMBHIR 🚨
- Removed World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav.
- Made Shreyas Iyer captain even though he hadn't been part of the T20I team for the last two years.
- Don't give any chances to Rajat Patidar, Prince yadav.
- Benched the red-hot young… https://t.co/ZegHyQLZUa pic.twitter.com/iYU8v4P4Ba- Sports Club (@SportsxClub) June 28, 2026
Others questioned why India continued to back the same middle-order combination despite repeated failures overseas, blaming Gautam Gambhir and holding selectors accountable to their decision.
Why fans believe Patidar deserved a chance
The calls for Patidar's inclusion aren't based purely on emotion.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain enjoyed another sensational IPL campaign in 2026, scoring 501 runs at a staggering strike rate of 192.69, helping RCB lift their second successive IPL title.
His biggest strength came exactly where India struggled against Ireland - the middle overs.
During IPL 2026:
- 501 runs
- Strike rate: 192.69
- 30 fours and 42 sixes
- 234 runs between overs 12-16 at a strike rate of 216.67
- Strike rate of 278.57 in the death overs
Those numbers made Patidar one of the most destructive middle-order batters in the tournament.
Agarkar had already addressed Patidar's omission
Patidar's exclusion had already become a talking point when India's squad for the Ireland and England tours was announced.
Despite leading RCB to consecutive IPL titles, the 32-year-old wasn't initially picked, prompting questions for chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
Agarkar defended the decision, saying there were simply too many deserving players competing for limited places.
"We discussed a host of players. We think these 15 are deserving. There are a lot of good players in India. There are plenty who are good enough to walk into the team. There will always be players missing out. "
However, India's batting performances in Belfast have reignited that debate.
Were India missing a genuine middle-order aggressor?
India's current T20 setup boasts explosive openers in Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, while Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer add experience.
But against Ireland, once early wickets fell, the innings repeatedly lost momentum.
Patidar has built his reputation as a player capable of absorbing pressure before accelerating rapidly - a role many fans believe India lacked throughout the series.
Several supporters argued that while the management continued backing Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar, Patidar's domestic performances have not been rewarded with an extended opportunity.
Selection headache ahead of England series
India's defeat ended an extraordinary run of 16 consecutive bilateral T20I series victories and handed Ireland their first-ever international win over India.
With the five-match T20I series against England around the corner, the pressure on the selectors has intensified.
Whether Patidar finally gets his opportunity remains to be seen, but one thing is clear after Belfast: the chorus demanding his inclusion has become louder than ever.
For now, India's biggest unanswered selection question isn't about who should open the batting or who should captain the side.
It's whether Rajat Patidar has waited long enough.
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