"A player does not become bad because of a year going bad" - Aakash Chopra picks Yashasvi Jaiswal among players Rajasthan Royals should retain

Aakash Chopra reckons the Rajasthan Royals (RR) should retain Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. He noted that an indifferent season does not define a player.

RR reached the IPL 2024 playoffs and were knocked out by the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 2. Jaiswal aggregated 435 runs at a slightly below-par average of 31.07 in 15 innings in the recently concluded season.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Sanju Samson and Jaiswal should be the Rajasthan Royals' first two retentions.

"The first will be the captain - Sanju Samson. Firstly, he is a good captain. (Ravichandran) Ashwin was saying the other day - 'I don't know where he has learned this art but he is a very good captain'. From wherever he might have learned, since he is captaining well, you want to retain him," he reasoned (7:25).

"The second, I feel you will have to keep Yashasvi Jaiswal. A player does not become bad because of a year going bad. He is a long-term investment. You retained him when he was uncapped, so you should 100% retain him now," the former India opener added.

Samson was the Rajasthan Royals' second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2024. The wicketkeeper-batter amassed 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46 in 15 innings.

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"I will be very tempted to retain Riyan Parag" - Aakash Chopra on Rajasthan Royals potentially having to choose between Parag and Chahal

Riyan Parag (573) was the Rajasthan Royals' top run-getter in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]

While naming Jos Buttler as the third retention, Aakash Chopra urged the Rajasthan Royals to hold on to Riyan Parag ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal if only three Indians can be retained.

"Jos Buttler will be one player I will retain. So you can assume he is my third retention. Now one between Riyan Parag and Yuzvendra Chahal. I will be very tempted to retain Riyan Parag because they have invested a lot in Riyan Parag. I can acquire Yuzi Chahal using the 'Right to Match' card, or else the other way around," he elaborated (8:00).

The reputed commentator suggested Dhruv Jurel as an RTM option at the auction.

"If I get a chance to use another 'Right to Match' card, I will go with Dhruv Jurel because he is the kind of player you can invest in. In the future, he can go ahead of Riyan Parag because I think he is more ready. He hasn't got too many opportunities but I would love to hold on to him," Chopra explained.

Chopra added that the Rajasthan Royals could consider retaining or reacquiring Trent Boult and Ravichandran Ashwin after the aforementioned players. He added that RR might not be able to bring together Ashwin and Chahal again, although they might want to do so.