"I am slightly worried" - Aakash Chopra on Yashasvi Jaiswal's knock in Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2024 Eliminator win vs RCB
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by four wickets in the IPL 2024 Eliminator in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, May 22. Although Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a 30-ball 45, Aakash Chopra has expressed slight concern about his approach.
RCB set RR a 173-run target after being asked to bat first. Sanju Samson and company chased the target down with an over to spare to book their berth in Qualifier 2 against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on Friday, May 24.
Reflecting on the Rajasthan Royals' chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra noted that Jaiswal led a charmed life and wasn't his usual confident self.
"When it was the turn for the run chase, RCB needed wickets to fall at the start but that didn't happen. Yashasvi lived dangerously but eventually scored runs. I am slightly worried because you know how much I like the kid. He is not playing with that much confidence," he said (6:30).
While pointing out a few technical issues, the former India opener added that runs under his belt should hold the youngster in good stead.
"It seems like he is trying to hit the ball too hard. It seems like he is losing his shape slightly. These are all things you never know him for. You see him and say that he is your bank, will read the ball very well from the hand, and move his feet very well. However, the important thing was that he scored runs," Chopra observed.
Jaiswal struck eight fours during his 45-run knock. He wasn't too convincing, playing a few streaky shots, with Cameron Green also putting down a tough offering at slip.
"Sanju Samson played a very bad shot to get out" - Aakash Chopra on the Rajasthan Royals skipper's dismissal
![Sanju Samson was stumped off Karn Sharma's bowling. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/05/29cc8-17164408539835-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra noted that the Rajasthan Royals were in a spot of bother when Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson virtually threw away their wickets and Dhruv Jurel got run out.
"Lockie Ferguson got Tom Kohler-Cadmore out. Then Sanju Samson came to bat. Sanju Samson played a very bad shot to get out. He fell prey to Karn Sharma. Yashasvi also played a bad shot to get out and suddenly you had the cat among the pigeons. Dhruv Jurel got run out and you need to praise Virat Kohli there," he said (7:25).
The reputed commentator appreciated Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer for playing crucial knocks before Rovman Powell took the Rajasthan Royals over the line.
"Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer had a partnership where Shimron just came and hit. He bats only in one gear. Mohammed Siraj dismissed both Riyan Parag and Hetmyer. Then you felt whether there would be another twist in the tale. There was no twist as Ravichandran Ashwin was there with Rovman Powell and the match was finished with an over to spare," Chopra stated.
Parag (36 off 26) and Hetmyer (26 off 14) added 45 runs for the fifth wicket after the Rajasthan Royals were reduced to 112/4. Powell smashed an unbeaten eight-ball 16, hitting two fours and a six in the penultimate over bowled by Lockie Ferguson.