Team India's One Major Flaw Brutally Exposed By World Cup Winner, Ajit Agarkar Told To Select This Star
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has called for the selection of one batter in particular in India's T20I squad.
- Irfan Pathan pointed out one big flaw in India's T20I setup, and suggested one name who should be selected
- "Look at the number of left-hand batters in the Indian T20 team right now," Pathan wrote on X
- "It's even more of a reason for Team India to look at Rajat Patidar going forward," he added
Reigning T20 World Cup champions India are going through an unprecedented low. Under new captain Shreyas Iyer, India have suffered three defeats at the hands of Ireland and England during their ongoing tour. India's batters have suffered from inconsistency, and they've failed to put up a total of 200 even once so far in the series. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan pointed out that the presence of too many left-handers is a major flaw in the team's T20I batting lineup, and suggested that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar should be considered by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee.
"Looking at the number of left-hand batters in the Indian T20 team right now, it's even more of a reason for Team India to look at Rajat Patidar going forward," Irfan Pathan posted on his official X account.
"I really hope he gets an opportunity, especially since there is still plenty of time for Team India to experiment before the next T20 World Cup," added Pathan, who won the T20 World Cup in 2007.
Looking at the number of left-hand batters in the Indian T20 team right now, it's even more of a reason for Team India to look at Rajat Patidar going forward.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) July 4, 2026
I really hope he gets an opportunity, especially since there is still plenty of time for Team India to experiment before...
The Indian team that played in the second T20I against England featured six left-handers in the top seven, in the form of Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma and Axar Patel. Captain Shreyas Iyer was the only right-hander.
Despite being one of the premier middle-order batters in recent seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Patidar is yet to get his shot in India's T20I side.
Patidar has scored more than 300 runs in each of his last four IPL campaigns. The recently-concluded IPL 2026 was his best season in the tournament, as he smashed 501 runs in 14 innings at a strike-rate of 192.69, whilst leading RCB to a second successive title.
Patidar, 33, has played four international games for India - three Tests and one ODI. His last appearance came more than two years ago, in February 2024.
Irfan Pathan
India Cricket Team