Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra reminded people of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s numbers in recent years of the Indian Premier League and talked about the lack of noise for the Rajasthan Royals opener in T20 cricket or his selection in the Indian T20I team.
Chopra’s words came after Jaiswal played a big role in RR’s 6-wicket win over Punjab Kings in their recent IPL 2026 match in Mullanpur on April 28.
Rajasthan Royals, chasing a formidable 223 at New Chandigarh, got off to a great start thanks in large part to Jaiswal. With six wickets in hand and four balls remaining, RR chased down the mark as the left-hander hit 51 from 27 balls.
Despite his steady performances, Chopra expressed surprise that Jaiswal is not even discussed in relation to India's T20I team.
“Look at his numbers in the last three years. He was a part of the T20 World Cup 2024-winning team, and then he got dropped. Everyone gets selected and dropped, but no one talks about him. I am not saying he should be selected. I understand there is no vacant place,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
He went on to emphasize that the opener has maintained a strong average and strike rate over several seasons in the IPL.
“If you see his IPL numbers for the last three years, he has scored runs and has a good average and strike rate. He is doing everything right. However, forget about selection; he isn't even part of the conversation. What was done after 2024 was like taking a fly out of milk and throwing it away. What was the guy's mistake?” he added.
Additionally, Chopra saw a slight change in Jaiswal's batting strategy this season, implying that the young player might be striving for a longer-lasting effect rather than just explosive starts.
Aakash Chopra also gave special praise to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who smashed 16-ball 43 with 5 sixes and 3 fours, and lauded him for providing early momentum with a blistering knock.
“The guy is getting mature. He is getting better by the day. Arshdeep Singh bowled yorkers on the first two balls, and he defended them. He realized that Arshdeep would have to do something different because his reputation had come before him. Arshdeep brought the ball in; it was on the legs, and he played a pickup shot for a six,” Chopra said.
RR will now play DC in Jaipur on May 1.
