Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar has been one of the most consistent performers so far in the IPL 2026. He scored 222 runs in five matches at a whopping strike rate of 213.46 and is also the third-leading run-scorer of the competition. He has been a force to reckon with and with that, there have been talks of him earning a spot in the national team, especially when the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma are struggling in the IPL at the moment.ย
T20 World Cup-winning captain Aaron Finch, in the meantime, showered high praise on Patidar, lauding him as a โsuper talentโ but believes that Patidar will have to wait for a national call-up. He highlighted that international cricket is a different ball game and even though the Madhya Pradesh cricketer proved his mettle as a batter, as well as a captain, other cricketers in the Indian team must be given a longer rope, especially after winning the T20 World Cup 2026.ย
โPatidar is in wonderful form. The way that he attacks spin is brilliant to watch. His all-round game is outstanding and the fact that he has been successful as a leader now shows a lot about his character. Maybe thereโs a spot that will open up for him in the Indian team, but the season is still young and IPL cricket is different from international cricket,โ ESPNcricinfo Expert Finch answered India TVโs query while speaking to the media.
Patidar will be a guy that selectors will have an eye on: Finch
Finch also explained that the current India cricketers must be given some time to find the right rhythm as they are just coming back from the World Cup. He mentioned that the global tournament can be physically, mentally and emotionally very hard on the cricketers and with time, he expects them to get better.ย
โI know you still picking teams based on IPL, but they just won a World Cup. So, there’re not going to be four or five changes in the middle order. You have to respect the players currently who have done the job and if they have an average IPL, I can understand it because how mentally taxing a World Cup is extraordinary. It is extremely draining – mentally, physically, emotionally. So, I can understand if the guys start the tournament slow because theyโre still coming to terms with all of that. Once they get going, they will be fine but Patidar will definitely be a guy that they (selectors) will have an eye. He is a super talent,โ Finch added.
RCB, in the meantime, picked up a comfortable five-wicket win over LSG during the IPL Rivalry Week. Fans can tune in to the cash-rich tournament on Star Sports and JioHotstar.ย
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