Gautam Gambhir Urged To Recall IPL Star After India's Back-To-Back Defeats In England

India's struggles in T20 internationals continued after a four-wicket defeat to England in the second match of the five-game series, intensifying scrutiny over captain Shreyas Iyer and prompting fresh calls for changes to the squad. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team management to consider in-form batter Rajat Patidar for the national T20I side, arguing that India should use the time available before the next T20 World Cup to test new combinations.

The latest defeat marked another setback for Iyer's tenure as India's T20I captain, which has endured a difficult start. India began the new leadership era with a historic 0-2 series defeat against Ireland before travelling to England for a five-match T20I series. After the opening fixture in England was washed out due to rain, the hosts claimed victory in the second match to gain the upper hand, further increasing pressure on the Indian side following a string of disappointing results.

Amid growing criticism of India's performances, Irfan Pathan backed Rajat Patidar as a strong candidate for selection. In a post on social media platform X, Pathan said India's current T20I squad already includes several left-handed batters, making Patidar's inclusion as a right-handed middle-order option worth considering. "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 wrote. He added that he hoped Patidar would be given an opportunity, especially with ample time remaining before the next T20 World Cup to experiment with the squad.

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Patidar is yet to make his T20I debut for India but has built an impressive reputation in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League. Across 106 domestic T20 innings, the right-handed batter has scored 3,389 runs at a strike rate of 160.08, underlining his ability to score quickly in the shortest format. His leadership credentials have also grown significantly after guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, including the championship triumph in the 2026 season.

England secured the victory by successfully chasing India's total of 190 for seven with an over to spare. India made an encouraging start when Arshdeep Singh struck twice in the opening over, but England responded aggressively through Harry Brook, whose blistering 39 off just 15 balls shifted the momentum. Jacob Bethell then anchored the chase with an unbeaten 76 from 46 deliveries, while Tom Banton contributed a valuable 39 to keep the hosts on course.

A costly 17th over from leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi proved decisive, with England collecting 29 runs after two no-balls resulted in as many free hits. The over swung the contest firmly in the hosts' favour as they completed the chase comfortably. While India produced a competitive batting performance by posting 190/7, England's calculated approach, effective acceleration in the latter stages and disciplined execution ensured a four-wicket win. With criticism mounting over India's recent performances, discussions around team selection and potential reinforcements such as Rajat Patidar are likely to intensify as the series progresses.

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