Rajat Patidar should replace vice captain Tilak Varma in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series, according to former captain Kris Srikkanth.
After leading the Royal Challengers Bengaluru club to their second straight IPL victory after an amazing season, fans and commentators are demanding that Patidar be added to the squad. With an average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 192.69, the batter scored 501 runs in 15 games, demonstrating his prowess as a middle-order enforcer.
In a major move that also saw Shreyas Iyer become captain, Srikkanth has insisted that Patidar be included in place of Tilak, who was recently named the Indian team’s vice-captain. India has participated in ten Twenty20 Internationals since then. With a strike rate of 143.25, Tilak has amassed 255 runs and three half-centuries. In the final Twenty20 International in Zimbabwe, Tilak struck 11 off nine balls following an incredible 60 off 29 balls. Srikkanth has further questioned Tilak’s erratic batting.
“Tilak consumed nine balls once more. He can’t play quickly for very long. Where’s the consistency? Tell me. How did he spend his time in England? Every now and again there will be a knock. Rajat Patidar is far superior to him. Go to Patidar and give him a chance if you want a really good T20 knock.
Srikkanth stated on his YouTube channel, “Everyone is getting chances like Yash Thakur; give him a chance too.”
During the second game against Zimbabwe, Tilak overtook players like MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina to become India’s seventh-highest run scorer in Twenty20 Internationals. The southpaw has amassed 1645 runs at an average of 44.45 and a strike rate of 145.18 in 56 innings. He has amassed 219 half-centuries.
India’s previous performance in the format has garnered criticism after losing the two-match series 2-0 to Ireland in Belfast and then being swept 4-0 by an eager England team in a five-match series. In the recently concluded series, however, they managed to defeat Zimbabwe 3-0.
