- Ashwin believes Rajat Patidar now challenges for captaincy.
- Patidar’s powerful sixes against fast bowlers impress Ashwin.
- He also excelled dismantling elite spin bowling.
- Patidar’s form significantly shifts selection hierarchy.
Experienced international spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has claimed that middle-order batsman Rajat Patidar has officially entered the primary conversation regarding future national team captaincy positions. The veteran bowler believes a spectacular domestic tournament performance has dramatically shifted the selection hierarchy, challenging the established positioning of contemporary batsman Shreyas Iyer.
An Exceptional Destruction Of Pacers
The outspoken spin bowling asset shared his expert technical assessments during a featured broadcast on his independent YouTube channel. He expressed immense astonishment regarding the sheer physical authority Patidar displayed against elite overseas fast bowling threats.
Ashwin highlighted one particular boundary scored against South African pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada as a defining moment. The clean strike showcased an elite level of wrist power that stunned fielders and commentators alike.
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“That backfoot six Rajat hit off Kagiso Rabada was straight-up shot of the day, probably even a contender for shot of the tournament. How he even managed to generate that power from there is beyond me,” Ravichandran Ashwin stated during an analytical video broadcast on his personal YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat.
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That backfoot six Rajat hit off Kagiso Rabada was straight-up shot of the day, probably even a contender for shot of the tournament.
How he even managed to generate that power from there is beyond me. Before this knock, Shreyas Iyer was probably a bit ahead in the… pic.twitter.com/r6tqMa9f9D
— Kohlistic🔥 (@Kohlistic18) May 27, 2026
A Challenger For Captaincy?
The highly impressive batting display has immediate structural implications for the senior national side. Prior to the fixture, Iyer occupied a preferred placement within internal management leadership discussions.
However, the fluid nature of elite domestic performances has allowed Patidar to rapidly bridge the selection gap. He now stands as a legitimate rival for upcoming white-ball captaincy roles.
“Before this knock, Shreyas Iyer was probably a bit ahead in the captaincy and batting conversations, but after tonight, Patidar is right up there,” Ashwin added whilst reviewing the match context.
Dismantling Elite Spin Comfortably
The technical review also praised the batsman’s historical competency when facing world-class slow bowlers. Patidar systematically dismantled the tactical plans of Afghan spin wizard Rashid Khan during the middle overs.
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The clean footwork allowed him to repeatedly reach the pitch of the delivery. He lofted multiple deliveries over the extra cover boundary fence with absolute textbook precision.
The comprehensive nature of the innings proved he is no longer just a secondary option. His rapid evolution provides national selectors with an incredibly sophisticated tactical alternative moving forward.
“We all know how good Rajat Patidar is against spin, but the way he handled fast bowling today was seriously impressive too. And those sixes he hit off Rashid Khan… I’ve seen very few batters who can get onto the front foot, get right to the pitch of the ball, and still loft Rashid over extra cover for six like that. Pure class,” Ashwin concluded on his channel.
