"Yashasvi is shining but what about the others?" - Aakash Chopra on Rajasthan Royals' issues ahead of IPL 2023 clash vs Gujarat Titans
Aakash Chopra has picked the lack of form of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) batters, barring Yashasvi Jaiswal, as a concern for the franchise heading into their IPL 2023 clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT).
The two sides will lock horns in Jaipur on Friday, May 5. While a win for GT will consolidate their top spot in the points table, a positive result for RR will help them leapfrog the current table-toppers.
While previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler and Shimron Hetmyer's recent lean run is an issue for the Rajasthan Royals, elaborating:
"Rajasthan, who were at No. 1 for a long time, are now on a slightly slippery slope because the captain is not scoring runs, Jos Buttler is not scoring runs, and Shimron Hetmyer has been a little cold. Yashasvi is shining but what about the others?"
The former Indian opener acknowledged that the Rajasthan Royals have a good batting lineup. However, he added that their big-ticket players' underperformance has compounded their problems, stating:
"The batting order is otherwise good but when big-big players don't score runs, the problems become manifold and we are seeing that here."
While Buttler hasn't scored a fifty in his last five innings and has been dismissed for a duck twice, Samson has scored just one half-century in his last seven knocks and has failed to open his account on two occasions. Hetmyer hasn't reached the double-digit mark in his last four innings.
"I feel you will see Holder resting here" - Aakash Chopra on probable change in Rajasthan Royals' XI
![Tim David took Jason Holder (R) to the cleaners in the Rajasthan Royals' last game. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/05/a435e-16832662419480-1920.jpg?w=500)
While expecting Adam Zampa to take Jason Holder's place in the Rajasthan Royals' XI, Aakash Chopra picked Yuzvendra Chahal's lack of wickets at home as another concern for the franchise, observing:
"I feel you will see Holder resting here and you will see Adam Zampa playing because he played last time as well. They have one problem for sure that Yuzi Chahal hasn't picked up too many wickets at the Sawai Mansingh. I don't know how and why but it is happening with him."
On the flip side, the reputed commentator expects Trent Boult to have a good time against the Gujarat Titans openers, saying:
"Trent Boult bowls well with the new ball in any case. He got Saha out last time. I won't be surprised if he dismisses him here again. He will trouble Shubman Gill as well. He will set a catching short midwicket and square leg and the ball goes in the air there."
Boult had Wriddhiman Saha caught-and-bowled in the very first over in the reverse fixture between the two sides. However, the left-arm seamer finished with figures of 1/46 in his four overs and will want to give a better account of himself this time around.