Rajat Patidar pulls out of Rising Stars Asia Cup, Ayush Badoni called into India A squad

Rajat Patidar has withdrawn from India A’s squad for the ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup, citing injury concerns and asking the BCCI not to consider him for the 50-over tournament. The board has called up the Delhi batter Ayush Badoni as his replacement, while Rinku Singh has been appointed vice-captain to skipper Tilak Varma.

Patidar tells BCCI he needs time to manage injuries

The withdrawal was driven by injury concerns rather than a disciplinary issue, according to the reports from the BCCI’s announcement and the subsequent team updates. Patidar, the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain, informed the board that he is managing existing injuries and does not wish to be considered for the 50-over format at this point. That request removed him from the India A list for the Qatar event, with the side now set to play without one of its most experienced red-ball and white-ball performers.

Badoni comes in, Rinku takes the deputy role

Ayush Badoni, who plays for Delhi, has been picked to fill the vacancy left by Patidar’s exit. Badoni becomes part of a squad that also features Rinku Singh and captain Tilak Varma. With Patidar out, Rinku has been elevated to vice-captain of the India A side. The change means the squad now has to absorb its leading figure’s absence only days before the competition begins in Doha on November 19.

Tournament stakes and dates

The ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup is scheduled to begin in Doha on November 19. The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals, which are set for November 26 and November 27, with the final to be played on November 29. For India A, that timetable leaves a short opening window after Patidar’s withdrawal for Badoni and the rest of the squad to settle into a unit ahead of the group stage.

Why the absence matters

Patidar’s decision takes him away from a high-profile under-23 international tournament at a moment when he is also carrying the RCB captaincy in the IPL. The injury concerns he cited were serious enough for him to ask the BCCI to keep him out of 50-over selection rather than simply sit through a busy international window. Tilak Varma now leads a side that will have to replace that presence on the field, while Rinku Singh carries an added responsibility after being named vice-captain.

India A’s Rising Stars campaign gets under way in Doha on November 19, with the semifinal places decided from November 26.