Aakash Chopra: Rajat Patidar's India T20I Return Hinges on Squad Selection Dilemma

India's Sanju Samson (PTI Photo)

Former India batter Aakash Chopra believes Rajat Patidar's return to India's T20I side will have to wait, arguing that the current batting line-up leaves little room for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain despite his impressive performances. Patidar was not included in India's 16-member squad for the ongoing five-match T20I series against England. His absence has sparked debate, particularly with India fielding a predominantly left-handed top order.

During a video on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra', the former opener was asked whether Patidar deserved a place in India's T20I team. Chopra responded by saying the bigger question was identifying which batter should make way.

"It's a very good question, but to find an answer to that question, we will have to dig a little deeper and see who can go out. You have kept left-handers in the top three at the moment. You won't see Rajat Patidar in any of those places because you have got Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan," Chopra responded.

"There is no scope to change any of those three. Ishan Kishan is at No. 3. If you have the power to remove Ishan Kishan, remove him. He has become the No. 1 T20I batter just now. It already seems like we are not doing right with Sanju," he added.

Chopra's remarks come after Sanju Samson, who was part of India's victorious 2026 T20 World Cup campaign and finished as the Player of the Tournament, was left out of the playing XI for the second T20I against England. Samson featured in the opening match but made way for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at the top of the order after a string of low scores.

The former India cricketer then assessed the middle order, pointing out that Shreyas Iyer and vice-captain Tilak Varma were unlikely to lose their places.

That, he suggested, leaves only Shivam Dube's position as a possible opening for Patidar.

"Shreyas Iyer comes at No. 4, and your vice-captain, Tilak Varma, comes at No. 5. Shivam Dube comes at No. 6. If you are not going to move the captain and vice-captain, which you shouldn't, would you want to play Rajat Patidar in place of Shivam Dube?" he said in the same video.

Although Chopra admitted that Patidar deserves another opportunity at the international level, he feels the timing is not right because the current combination is difficult to break.

"I am of the opinion that his time will come. Rajat Patidar will certainly play for India again. He has played Test cricket earlier. It's only a matter of time, but has that time come? It will only come if you have to make someone sit out. Who will you make sit out? That question will have to be answered first. I don't think there is any scope for his name to come immediately," Chopra observed.

Patidar has represented India in three Test matches and one ODI so far. In domestic and franchise T20 cricket, he has built an impressive record, scoring 3,389 runs in 106 innings at a strike rate of 160.08, strengthening his case for another opportunity in India's shortest-format setup.