Yashasvi Jaiswal Missed a Chance to Lead Rajasthan Royals, Says Aakash Chopra
Former India opener Aakash Chopra has expressed his belief that Yashasvi Jaiswal should have taken the initiative to become the next captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the upcoming 2025 IPL season. This comes in light of reports suggesting that Riyan Parag is likely to be appointed as the next captain of the franchise.
Chopra pointed out that Jaiswal has fallen behind Shubman Gill in terms of leadership opportunities in the shortest format of the game due to a lack of captaincy experience. While Gill has captained the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the last two IPL seasons, Jaiswal has not had the chance to lead his team in any IPL match.
In response to the news of Parag’s potential captaincy appointment, Chopra took to his X handle to share his thoughts. He suggested that Jaiswal should have proactively sought the leadership role within the team, considering his outstanding performances across formats. Chopra emphasized that Jaiswal has every right to feel that he has lagged behind Gill in the race for leadership positions due to his lack of captaincy credentials.
Jaiswal, who was part of India’s victorious 2024 T20 World Cup squad, has only played six T20Is for India since the tournament and has not featured in any matches since July 2024. In contrast, Gill returned to the T20I side last year after leading GT in IPL 2025. However, Gill’s inconsistent performances led to his exclusion from the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup.
When comparing the IPL and T20I statistics of Jaiswal and Gill, it becomes evident that the former has a better record in the shortest format of the game. Jaiswal boasts an impressive T20I average of 36.15 at a strike rate of 164.31 in 23 matches, while Gill has struggled with an average of 28.03 at a strike rate of under 139 in 36 T20Is.
In the IPL, Gill holds a slight edge over Jaiswal in terms of average, averaging 39.44 compared to Jaiswal’s 34.38. However, Jaiswal excels in strike rate, with a rate of 152.85 compared to Gill’s 138.71. Jaiswal has been a consistent performer for RR since 2020, scoring over 400 runs in the last three IPL seasons.
The Rajasthan Royals are set to announce their new captain today, and all eyes will be on whether Parag is officially appointed as the leader of the team. However, Chopra’s comments suggest that Jaiswal may have missed an opportunity to showcase his leadership capabilities within the franchise. Only time will tell how this decision impacts Jaiswal’s future prospects in the IPL.
This article was edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran.
