"I thought he would be in the Orange Cap race" - Aakash Chopra lauds RR batter's knock in IPL 2025 win vs PBKS

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Yashasvi Jaiswal for playing a match-winning knock in the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) IPL 2025 clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). The cricketer-turned-commentator expressed happiness about the RR opener's return to form, highlighting that he had predicted the youngster to be in Orange Cap contention before the start of the tournament.

Jaiswal scored 67 runs off 45 deliveries as RR set PBKS a 206-run target in Match 18 of IPL 2025 in Mullanpur on Saturday, April 5. The visitors then restricted Shreyas Iyer and company to 155/9 to complete a comprehensive 50-run win.

Reflecting on RR's batting in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that Jaiswal's return to run-scoring ways was great news.

"The excellent news is that Yashasvi is back in form. He is a mighty player, but he was having difficulties against the short ball. Here too, he was almost caught once, but thank god he wasn't. He played extremely well," Chopra said (12:45).

"It was a personal thing for me as well as I thought he would be in the Orange Cap race, that he would be among the top three run-getters, and I felt it was over when he started like that (in the tournament). He got out to Lockie Ferguson for sure, but he scored important runs," he added.

The analyst added that Jaiswal's opening partnership with Sanju Samson virtually ensured RR would post a massive total.

"Actually, the opening partnership with Sanju Samson - if you win the powerplay, don't lose a wicket, and your openers stay for 10 overs, you will be restricted to 170-175 only if you play very badly. If you play well, you will go beyond 200, and that's what happened," Chopra observed.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson stitched together an 89-run opening partnership in 10.2 overs. While Jaiswal struck three fours and five sixes in his 67-run knock, the RR skipper scored 38 runs off 26 deliveries with the help of six fours.

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"He showed that he is actually a special player" - Aakash Chopra lauds Riyan Parag's knock in RR's IPL 2025 win vs PBKS

Riyan Parag's blazing knock helped RR post a mammoth total in their IPL 2025 clash against PBKS. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Riyan Parag for striking a few lusty blows and ensuring that the Rajasthan Royals crossed the 200-run mark in their IPL 2025 clash against the Punjab Kings.

"In the end, there was some incredible hitting by Riyan Parag, and he showed that he is actually a special player. When he gets going, he bats very well. He struck clean hits and took the team beyond 200. Lockie Ferguson was brilliant. He bowled extremely well," he said (13:35).

Riyan Parag scored an unbeaten 43 off 25 deliveries with the help of three fours and as many sixes. Lockie Ferguson (2/37 in four overs) was the Punjab Kings' most successful bowler in Saturday's game.