Rajat Patidar ignites India T20 call up debate after Dharamsala special

Mullanpur: It was in Dharamsala couple of years ago that injury and poor form forced Rajat Patidar out of the India setup for the foreseeable future.

His horror run, including six dismissal in three games to England spinners, in March 2024 came in the traditional whites before he was replaced by Devdutt Padikkal for the final Test at the HPCA Stadium.

Albeit in an incomparable format, Patidar chose the same picturesque Dhauladhar backdrop to ignite a debate on his national comeback with a T20 blitz that powered RCB to their second successive final. With Patidar on course to lead RCB to a back-to-back title as captain in his best-ever IPL season with the bat, calls for his inclusion in India's T20 squad had already begun. After a 33-ball 93, it has grown multifold.

India under Suryakumar Yadav are a World Cup winning outfit but such is the amount of ready talent available in T20s, his place in the side is under scanner due to a prolonged lean patch.

Shryeas Iyer's supporters want him back in the team as captain and after the match winning show on Tuesday night, Patidar's camp want him in the side for the next series.

"I would have two or three guys in the team and build the squad around them. Rajat is one of them," Ambati Rayudu told ESPNcricinfo.

Patidar had collected 21 runs from his first 13 balls before hammering 72 off the next 20 to decisively tilt the game in RCB's favour versus a predictable Gujarat Titans. The 254-5 proved well beyond the reach of an otherwise effective but one-dimensional GT batting line-up led by Shubman Gill.

The ball flies off the bat in the high altitude of Dharamsala and Patidar certainly added more velocity with his sensational six hitting fest, tonking nine in total. The six over cover off a length ball from Kagiso Rabada summed how true the pitch was and how good Patidar was on the night.

"I think I called him a spin basher once and he got quite annoyed with me because I was implying it was only spin," RCB director of cricket Mo Bobat said referring to his improve play against the fast bowlers.

"He's probably trying to prove a point to me. Whether he's facing pace or spin, off the front foot or the back foot, the ball hits the middle of his bat an awful lot. He's got really sound basics and a pretty fearless intent, which is great to see.

"That was a pretty special knock. It's the sort of innings we're becoming accustomed to seeing from him now. Some outrageous shots, but with really aggressive intent. I think that's leading by example," he added.

Patidar is also a low profile captain in the overpowering presence of Virat Kohli in the team. He remains an understated personality, only he is attracting all the attention with his breathtaking strokeplay, forcing the national selectors to take notice.