Patidar Appointed MP T20 Captain Amid IPL Commitments

Madhya Pradesh has selected Rajat Patidar as their captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, setting the stage for a fiercely contested domestic campaign. The tournament commences on November 14, with the state team positioned in Elite Group-C. The first quartet of games will be staged in New Chandigarh, while the concluding three fixtures will be held in Mohali.

Leadership duties will be shared, as Patidar cannot commit to the entire group stage. His schedule is dominated by Royal Challengers Bangalore duties during the 2025 and 2026 IPL windows. Furthermore, he has been appointed vice-captain for the India-A squad at the upcoming Rising Stars Asia Cup in Qatar, scheduled between November 19 and 29.

With the skipper unavailable for portions of the tournament, expect heavy responsibilities to rest on the shoulders of Akshat Raghuwanshi, Harsu Gawli, and Aniket Verma. The squad announcement also highlights a few surprising exclusions. Quality all-rounder Madhav Tiwari misses the cut, despite his high-profile appearances for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026 and Ujjain Falcons in the Sindhia Cup 2026.

The coaching staff has prioritized versatility, selecting two wicket-keeping options in Harsu Gawli and Apurv Dvivedi. The bowling lineup is anchored by fast bowler Avesh Khan, who will lead the attack. He will receive support from Mangesh Yadav, leg-spinner Kumar Kartikeya Singh, off-spinner Saransh Jain, and left-arm wrist-spinner Shivang Kumar. Injured pacer Kuldeep Sen will not travel with the squad.

Madhya Pradesh’s path to the knockout stages begins on November 14 against Kerala in a day-night contest. The team then travels through a tight schedule, facing Assam on November 16, Tripura on November 18, Andhra Pradesh on November 20, Maharashtra on November 22, Himachal Pradesh on November 24, and finally Puducherry on November 26.

Management acknowledges that Patidar’s departure post-Assam match is likely. To navigate this, the state association will need to identify a stand-in leader for the remaining group matches. The finalized squad roster lists Ankush Singh, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Harsu Gawli, Rajat Patidar, Aniket Verma, Ritik Tada, Apurv Dvivedi, Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Shivam Shukla, Shivang Kumar, Avesh Khan, Tripuresh Singh, Rahul Batham, and Mangesh Yadav.