Why is Rajat Patidar not in India's probables list for Asian Games 2026 despite IPL 2026 heroics?
(Courtesy : BCCI/IPL)
Rajat Patidar has scored 486 runs in 14 games in IPL 2026.
Rajat Patidar has proved his effective leadership by leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to the final of the Indian Premier League 2026. RCB are set to face the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final on May 31.
Patidar has also made a mark with the bat. At an average of 44.18, he has scored 486 runs in 13 innings with five half-centuries. With a strike rate of 196, he has done a fabulous job in the middle order. In Qualifier 1, his unbeaten 93-run knock helped RCB to win the game and set the record for the highest-ever total in IPL playoffs.
Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shortlisted 30 players for the Asian Games 2026. Many players who impressed in IPL 2026 have also been picked in the probables list. However, Rajat Patidar was overlooked for the tournament.
Why is Rajat Patidar overlooked for the Asian Games 2026?
Notably, Patidar is 32 years old, and several players in the probable list for the Asian Games are younger than him.
Selectors are looking forward to picking young players for the tournament who could be part of India’s plans for the 2028 Olympics. Even in the previous Asian Games 2023, a young squad was picked for the tournament.
Moreover, Patidar bats in the middle order, and there is stiff competition for that spot in India’s T20 setup. Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson and Nitish Kumar Reddy are a few players who already play in the middle-order.
Another possibility is that selectors must be looking to include Patidar in India’s senior T20I setup. India are set to play T20I series against Ireland, England, and West Indies in the forthcoming months. After Patidar’s impressive show in IPL 2026, he might get opportunities in these series.
How many runs has Rajat Patidar scored in IPL 2026?
He has scored 486 runs in 13 innings so far in IPL 2026.
Who is captaining RCB in IPL 2026?
Rajat Patidar is the captain of the team.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.