"It would be unfair if you do not take him" - Aakash Chopra calls Yashasvi Jaiswal a certainty for 2024 T20 World Cup

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra feels young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal has cemented himself a spot in the T20 World Cup side with his style of play and T20I performances.

Jaiswal produced another sparkling performance at the top of the order to help India defeat Afghanistan in the second T20I by six wickets. The southpaw scored 68 off 34 deliveries with five boundaries and six maximums to ensure the hosts got off the blocks early and eventually took an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

Speaking to Jio Cinemas after the game, Chopra asserted that Jaiswal had leapfrogged Shubman Gill in the pecking order and made himself a certainty for the showpiece event in June.

"Yashasvi is going. Again, the way he is batting. You will feel it would unfair if you do not take him. Sometimes you are undroppable, meaning he is selectable,that is why he is here making runs. Now he has gone beyond Gill. But now you will not be able to touch him," Chopra said.

He added that by not selecting him, India would resort to the slow-paced tempo that haunted them in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

"You should not even try for it it because you need something like this while batting. Otherwise, it will be the same as 2022 again and again everything will be the same, the style of playing will be the same and only the year has changed," stated Chopra.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's all-out attack at the top of the order has been a breath of fresh air to the Indian T20I side. The southpaw averages 35.57 and boasts a strike rate of 163.81 in 16 games.

His impact on winning has been staggering, with the youngster averaging over 44 in Indian T20I wins and only 3.66 in defeats.

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"He will go and will show intent the same way in the T20 World Cup" - Suresh Raina on Yashasvi Jaiswal

Former Indian batter Suresh Raina echoed Aakash Chopra's sentiments and praised Yashasvi Jaiswal's attacking instincts and fearless attitude at the top of the order.

Jaiswal came into the national limelight after a breathtaking 2023 IPL season, scoring 625 runs at an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 163.61.

"His work ethic is very good, he has disciplined character, more than that he is not afraid of the first ball, he will go and will show intent the same way in the T20 World Cup.. The good news is that we have already toured the West Indies and have already scored a hundred in a test match there," said Raina.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has already prospered in the West Indian wickets, scoring a sensational 171 on Test debut in July last year.

With the T20 World Cup scheduled to happen in the Caribbean and the U.S.A., the 22-year-old could be the ideal tonic Team India has strived for at the start of their innings.

Meanwhile, the final T20I against Afghanistan will be played in Bangalore on Wednesday, January 17.