Hanuma Vihari Urges BCCI to Reconsider Rajat Patidar’s T20I Omission for Zimbabwe Series

India have announced their squad for the upcoming three‑match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Shreyas Iyer will captain the side in Harare. The team features a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talents, but a few notable omissions have sparked discussion among fans and experts, most notably the absence of Rajat Patidar, who has been in outstanding form.

Former India batter Hanuma Vihari voiced his disappointment, questioning the selection decisions and also raising concerns over the omission of Sanju Samson. He believes both players have earned their places in the squad.

Hanuma Vihari Criticizes Rajat Patidar’s Exclusion

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vihari admitted that Patidar’s absence from the Zimbabwe squad was one of the toughest selection calls to understand. He highlighted that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain had guided his side to back‑to‑back IPL titles and posted an outstanding season with the bat. Vihari noted that India needed another right‑handed top‑order option, pointing out that while Prabhsimran Singh is in the squad, the first‑choice wicketkeeper is likely to be Ishan Kishan.

“Rinku Singh was brought back, but where is Rajat Patidar? He led RCB to titles in two seasons and also performed well as a batter. He was not considered as well. These are hard calls from the selectors. Patidar should have been given a chance, especially because if you look at the team, all are left‑handers. With so many left‑handers, Patidar or Samson as right‑handers should have been there. Yes, Prabhsimran is there, but I don’t think he will play because Ishan Kishan will be the first choice wicketkeeper,” Vihari said.

Patidar enjoyed another memorable IPL campaign in 2026, scoring 501 runs in 14 innings at an average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 192.69. The 32‑year‑old carried that momentum into the Madhya Pradesh T20 League, where he amassed 306 runs from eight matches at an average of 38.25 while striking at 198.70.

Vihari Also Surprised by Sanju Samson’s Omission

Vihari also expressed surprise over Samson’s exclusion from India’s Zimbabwe T20I squad. He initially thought Samson’s absence from the final T20I against England was part of a rotation policy, but was shocked to see the wicketkeeper‑batter left out of the squad altogether.

The former India batter believed it was harsh to drop Samson after just a few low scores, especially considering his outstanding performances during India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Vihari pointed out that most of the batting unit from the England series retained their places, making Samson’s omission even more surprising.

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