"It seems like both have gone to the library" - Aakash Chopra on Jaiswal and Buttler's quiet bats heading into Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2024 clash vs RCB

Aakash Chopra has noted that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler hasn't yet delivered in IPL 2024. However, he expects the former to come good against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

The two sides will square off at the Sawai Mansigh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday (April 6). Despite their openers' underwhelming performances, the home team have won their first three games and a victory against RCB will help them climb atop the points table.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra chose Jaiswal as the first Rajasthan Royals player in focus in Saturday's game.

"It's a royal encounter - Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal hasn't yet shown the royal game. We thought Jos Buttler and Yashasvi would be the most explosive opening combination but the bats are silent for both," he said (7:30).

"It seems like both have gone to the library. Neither they nor their bats are talking. However, at some stage, it has to change. This match will be crucial for Yashasvi and I expect him to do well. I have a personal interest in him. He is such an elegant player and looking like a wow, but I haven't got the opportunity to say that," the former India opener added.

Jaiswal has aggregated only 39 runs, albeit at a strike rate of 156.00, in his three innings. Buttler has managed only 35 runs, that too at a strike rate of 85.36, in his three hits.

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"Sanju is also giving an audition for the T20 World Cup" - Aakash Chopra on Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson smashed an unbeaten 82 in RR's opening game against LSG. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra picked Sanju Samson as the second Rajasthan Royals player to watch out for.

"Let's talk about Sanju. At some stage, two of the top three will fire. Sanju has fired in just one match thus far and both openers haven't fired even once. It cannot happen every year that he starts well, after that a lean period, and then he picks up. Sanju is also giving an audition for the T20 World Cup," he reasoned (8:20).

The cricketer-turned-commentator named Yuzvendra Chahal as the third RR player he is eager to watch.

"My third player is Yuzi Chahal. Although Sandeep Sharma isn't available, their bowling is very good. They have Trent Boult, Nandre Burger, Ravichandran Ashwin and Avesh Khan, but I am going with Yuzi Chahal because he picked up three wickets in the last match as well. If he did that on the Mumbai pitch and the small ground there, why not here?" Chopra stated.

Chahal, with six scalps at an exceptional economy rate of 5.50 in three games, is RR's highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 thus far. Only Mohit Sharma and Mustafizur Rahman have accounted for more dismissals than him, with seven apiece.