"He reminded me of both Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill" - Aakash Chopra lauds Angkrish Raghuvanshi's knock in KKR's IPL 2024 win vs DC
Aakash Chopra has lauded Angkrish Raghuvanshi for playing an enterprising knock in the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) IPL 2024 win against the Delhi Capitals (DC). He noted that some of the youngster's shots reminded him of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill.
Raghuvanshi scored a 27-ball 54 as KKR set DC a monumental 273-run target in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, April 3. The away team then bowled Rishabh Pant and company out for 166 to register an emphatic 106-run win and climb atop the points table.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Sunil Narine as the standout performer in the KKR-DC clash. He also praised Raghuvanshi, saying (17:00):
"After that, a small kid - Raghuvanshi. This player also showed that he is the identity of the new India. How times have changed - when Mayank Yadav bowls, he is also the new India's kid, it doesn't matter to him who is standing in front of him, whether it's Jonny Bairstow, Cameron Green or Glenn Maxwell."
"When you saw Raghuvanshi, he said it doesn't make a difference to him whether it's Anrich Nortje or Khaleel Ahmed - 'who cares'. He was hitting from the first ball. He scored his runs at a strike rate of 200. He reminded me of both Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill," the former India opener added.
Chopra noted that the 18-year-old showed that he can play unconventional shots like Suryakumar and stylish strokes like Gill.
"He played one Supla shot, if his picture is blurred and you are asked who played that shot, you will say Surya, but Raghuvanshi played it. Then the shots he played on his legs, I am seeing glimpses of Shubman Gill in some of his shots. Raghuvanshi was absolutely phenomenal," he observed.
Raghuvanshi hit five fours and three sixes during his innings. He added 104 runs for the second wicket with Narine (85 off 39) in just eight overs, a partnership that virtually batted DC out of the game.
"Rishabh Pant deserves a special mention" - Aakash Chopra
![Rishabh Pant scored 55 runs off 25 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/5bcc8-17122064613138-1920.jpg?w=500)
While choosing Vaibhav Arora as the third standout performer, Aakash Chopra also had a few words of praise for Rishabh Pant.
"Vaibhav Arora should be kept as the third performer because he bowled well, picked up three wickets. Mitchell Starc also picked up two wickets. It was a formality in the end. When you lose by more than 100 runs while chasing 272, everyone was going to get wickets, but Rishabh Pant deserves a special mention," he said (18:30).
The reputed commentator noted that the Delhi Capitals skipper has enhanced his repertoire of strokes.
"Pant is back, the way he is batting. His range of hitting has also become slightly different. He is now scoring as many runs on the off-side because the bowlers try to bowl there. He has opened the face of his bat slightly to open up the off-side game. He played a no-look shot. Venkatesh Iyer bowled the most expensive over of this IPL," Chopra observed.
Pant struck four fours and five sixes during his innings. He smashed Venkatesh Iyer for 28 runs, including four fours and two sixes, in the only over he bowled.