Former India batter Aakash Chopra has questioned how the country’s selectors have handled Yashasvi Jaiswal after Rajasthan Royals’ emphatic triumph over Punjab Kings in IPL 2026. In a chase of 223 at New Chandigarh on April 28, Rajasthan started with confidence, and Jaiswal played a major role in setting the tone. The left-handed opener struck 51 from just 27 deliveries, helping RR complete the run chase with six wickets in hand and four balls left.
On his YouTube channel, Chopra said he was surprised that Jaiswal does not even seem to be part of the conversations surrounding India’s T20I plans, despite his steady output. He pointed to Jaiswal’s recent history, noting that the batter was part of the group that won the T20 World Cup in 2024, only to later be dropped. “Look at what he has done over the last three years. He was in the T20 World Cup 2024-winning team, and then he was left out. Yes, players are selected and dropped, but nobody seems to be discussing him,” Chopra said. He also clarified that he was not directly arguing for selection, stressing that there may not be an immediate opening in the squad.
Chopra then argued that Jaiswal’s IPL performances over the past three seasons show both run-scoring ability and the ability to maintain tempo. “If you check his IPL numbers for the last three years, he has produced runs with a solid average and a good strike rate. He is doing everything right. But beyond that, forget about selection—he isn’t even part of the discussion,” Chopra added. He went on to describe the post-2024 approach as baffling, saying it felt like a chance was mishandled. “What happened after 2024 was like taking a fly out of milk and throwing it away. What was the mistake?” he asked.
The former India opener also highlighted a change in Jaiswal’s batting mindset this season, suggesting the youngster could be working towards longer, more consistent impacts rather than relying only on early bursts. Chopra said Jaiswal appeared more controlled, looking to extend his innings beyond the Powerplay. That pattern, according to Chopra, was visible during the chase against PBKS.
During the same conversation, Chopra reserved special praise for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a teenage talent who gave Rajasthan Royals a flying start. He described how Sooryavanshi appeared to grow in confidence ball by ball, while also learning quickly from the bowling. “The kid is maturing. He is getting better day by day. Arshdeep Singh bowled yorkers on the first two balls, and he defended them. He understood that Arshdeep would have to change something because his reputation had already gone ahead of him. Arshdeep brought the ball in and it was on the pads, and he responded with a pick-up shot for a six,” Chopra said.
Chopra further explained that Sooryavanshi’s approach forced Punjab’s bowlers to rethink their plans, shifting pressure back towards the chasing side. “The pressure got transferred. After that, he received a short ball outside off and hit it to the left of point. That tells you he has a bit more time. He tries to play more shots over mid-on and beyond, and the bowler has to adjust. He was aggressive early on, and now he has become so mature. His upside is brilliant,” he observed.
Sooryavanshi struck 43 off 16 balls and combined with Jaiswal for a blistering 51-run opening stand in only 3.2 overs, providing the foundation that Rajasthan Royals needed to chase down 223 successfully.
