Gautam Gambhir, BCCI Advised To Bring In This IPL Star After India's Back-To-Back Losses
Shreyas Iyer's tenure as India's T20I captain suffered another setback on Saturday as India lost to England by four wickets.
- Shreyas Iyer's T20I captaincy began with a 0-2 series loss against Ireland
- Former India all-rounder advised the team management to bring in Rajat Patidar in the lineup
- "Looking at number of left-hand batters, it's more of a reason for Team India to look at Patidar," he said
Shreyas Iyer's tenure as India's T20I captain suffered another setback on Saturday as India lost to England by four wickets. Iyer's captaincy stint began on a disappointing note, with India enduring a historic 0-2 whitewash against Ireland in a two-match series. The team then travelled to England for a five-match T20I series, where the opening match was washed out due to rain before England took a 1-0 lead with a convincing win in the second game in Manchester. Iyer, who replaced Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain, has come under heavy criticism following the team's string of poor results.
Amid the scrutiny, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan suggested that the selectors consider Rajat Patidar for the national T20I side, citing his outstanding record in the shortest format.
"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," Pathan posted on X.
"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," he added.
Although Patidar is yet to make his T20I debut for India, he boasts an impressive domestic T20 record. He has scored 3,389 runs in 106 innings at a striking rate of 160.08.
In addition to his batting exploits, Patidar has also enjoyed success as a captain, leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, most recently in 2026.
Speaking of the game, the hosts bounced back emphatically to defeat India by four wickets in the second T20I, chasing down 191 with an over to spare. Despite Arshdeep Singh's double strike in the opening over, Harry Brook's explosive 39 off 15 balls shifted the momentum before Jacob Bethell anchored the chase with an unbeaten 76 off 46 deliveries.
Tom Banton's 39 provided crucial support, while a 29-run 17th over from Ravi Bishnoi, featuring two no-balls leading to as many free hits, proved the turning point. Earlier, India posted 190/7, but England's calculated batting, smart use of conditions, and late acceleration sealed a series-levelling victory.
(With IANS Inputs)
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Irfan Pathan