"Rohit Sharma should pick up the phone and talk to him" - Aakash Chopra questions Yashasvi Jaiswal's approach in Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2024 win vs KKR
Aakash Chopra has expressed slight concern about Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's approach in their IPL 2024 win against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
KKR set RR a massive 224-run target at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, April 16. Although Jaiswal was dismissed for a nine-ball 19, the visitors registered a two-wicket win off the last delivery to consolidate their top spot on the points table.
Reflecting on the Rajasthan Royals' chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra noted that Jaiswal is deviating from his tried-and-tested methods and urged Kumar Sangakkara and Rohit Sharma to speak to him.
"I am getting slightly worried about Yashasvi because Yashasvi didn't used to play like this. He is trying to murder every ball. You are a very good player, and you are good because you believe in timing. You are not a wrestler and you are not Andre Russell. Your playing style is very different," he said (12:30).
"Since I like this kid a lot, I want Kumar Sangakkara to talk to him, or else Rohit Sharma should pick up the phone and talk to him and say - 'You have to go to the T20 World Cup but this form is not required, play a little cautiously'. He hit a six and a four, and then tried another big shot and got out," the former India opener added.
Jaiswal was caught at slip by Venkatesh Iyer while attempting a big shot off Vaibhav Arora's bowling. The left-handed opener has aggregated 121 runs at a paltry average of 17.29 in seven innings in IPL 2024.
"He played incredibly well" - Aakash Chopra on Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Riyan Parag played a crucial cameo for the Rajasthan Royals in Kolkata.
"Sanju (Samson) also got out. Riyan Parag played for a short while, but when he played, he played incredibly well. However, then he also got out. Things changed quickly after that. Rovman Powell played for some time after that. He hit a few sixes," he stated (13:10).
The cricketer-turned-commentator praised Jos Buttler for virtually single-handedly taking the Rajasthan Royals over the line.
"In the end, Jos Buttler. There were only two big performers in this match - Sunil Narine and Jos Buttler. When Jos Buttler changed the momentum, he was that one-man army. If it was Narine on that side, it was Buttler on this side. There isn't a greater T20 opener than him. He is in a very different league," Chopra elaborated.
Buttler remained unbeaten on a 60-ball 107, a knock studded with nine fours and six sixes. He didn't let Avesh Khan face a single delivery in their unbroken 38-run ninth-wicket partnership.