'Rajat Patidar must be in front of the queue': Michael Clarke backs RCB captain for India call-up
Rajat Patidar 's rise as one of the most influential figures in the IPL continued in 2026 as he guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a second successive title. The RCB captain not only led the franchise from the front but also played a vital role with the bat, helping his side successfully defend the crown they won a year earlier.
Patidar enjoyed another outstanding season in the middle order, scoring 501 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 192.69. Time and again, he delivered in pressure situations, whether stabilising the innings after early wickets or launching counterattacks when RCB needed quick runs.
Despite those contributions, former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels Patidar's performances have not received the recognition they deserve.
Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clarke named the RCB skipper as one of the most underrated performers of IPL 2026 , arguing that the presence of Virat Kohli often means other key contributors receive less attention.
"Patidar had a stellar tournament again and is my player under the radar. Virat Kohli being in the team will always be the most spoken about player. But Patidar has done an exceptional job with the way he leads and gets the best out of all of his players. His own performance, batting in the tough middle order, has been fantastic," Clarke said.
Patidar's leadership credentials have grown significantly over the last two seasons. Under his captaincy, RCB transformed from a team that spent years chasing a maiden title into one that has now won back-to-back championships.
For Clarke, those achievements should place the 31-year-old firmly in discussions surrounding India's T20 side.
"Though he's 31, there has to be a talk about him in the Indian T20 team. I don't know if he will captain India, but he has leadership qualities. His middle-order batting has been phenomenal. Batting at No.4 is the hardest in T20s, and he comes in at the position and just explodes," he added.
Patidar enjoyed another outstanding season in the middle order, scoring 501 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 192.69. Time and again, he delivered in pressure situations, whether stabilising the innings after early wickets or launching counterattacks when RCB needed quick runs.
How Rajat Patidar's RCB outclassed GT to win back-to-back titles
Despite those contributions, former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels Patidar's performances have not received the recognition they deserve.
Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clarke named the RCB skipper as one of the most underrated performers of IPL 2026 , arguing that the presence of Virat Kohli often means other key contributors receive less attention.
"Patidar had a stellar tournament again and is my player under the radar. Virat Kohli being in the team will always be the most spoken about player. But Patidar has done an exceptional job with the way he leads and gets the best out of all of his players. His own performance, batting in the tough middle order, has been fantastic," Clarke said.
Patidar's leadership credentials have grown significantly over the last two seasons. Under his captaincy, RCB transformed from a team that spent years chasing a maiden title into one that has now won back-to-back championships.
For Clarke, those achievements should place the 31-year-old firmly in discussions surrounding India's T20 side.
"Though he's 31, there has to be a talk about him in the Indian T20 team. I don't know if he will captain India, but he has leadership qualities. His middle-order batting has been phenomenal. Batting at No.4 is the hardest in T20s, and he comes in at the position and just explodes," he added.
Next Story