"You might not even miss Rohit then" - Aakash Chopra backs young batting star to become all-format player for India

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Yashasvi Jaiswal will soon be playing for the Men in Blue across all three formats. He noted that Rohit Sharma might not even be missed once Jaiswal starts opening with Shubman Gill in ODIs.

Jaiswal, who is a regular member of India's Test side, played a 175-run knock in the first innings of the ongoing second Test against the West Indies. He has been picked in the Indian ODI squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, but hasn't been selected for the T20Is.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener backed Jaiswal to become an all-format player soon, potentially seamlessly replacing Rohit as an ODI opener.

"I think it's only a matter of time. You will find Yashasvi Jaiswal being blooded in all formats one by one. He has already played T20Is, and he scored a hundred as well. He plays very well in the IPL. He was part of the T20 World Cup team as well. After that, Shubman Gill went ahead of him in the race from the leadership perspective," Chopra said (3:05).

"Shubman became a part of the Asia Cup team. Yashasvi is still not there. He will break into the team. You won't be able to keep him far for long, although an interesting discussion has started about whether you want to play Abhishek Sharma in ODIs. I feel Yashasvi might get a chance before him, and should as well. If Yashasvi and Shubman Gill open in ODIs, you might not even miss Rohit then," he added.

Aakash Chopra praised Yashasvi Jaiswal for not trying to play overaggressively in Tests to showcase his white-ball credentials. He noted that the youngster realizes that his selection in the shorter formats will not be based on his playing style, but on the weight of runs.

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"A 750 to 800-run IPL season will definitely come for him" - Aakash Chopra on Yashasvi Jaiswal's T20I future

Yashasvi Jaiswal has represented India in 23 T20Is. [P/C: Getty]

Reflecting on Yashasvi Jaiswal's T20I future in the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener will likely have a big-scoring IPL season soon.

"In T20 cricket, I feel his best IPL season has not come yet. A 750 to 800-run IPL season will definitely come for him because he is that kind of player. He has the hunger and stroke making is par excellence. The combination of the two is magical," he said (6:25).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Jaiswal might push Shubman Gill to the No. 3 position in T20Is after the 2026 T20 World Cup.

"Whenever you give Yashasvi a chance, he will grab it, and when he grabs it, then you won't miss others. Shubman Gill might go to No. 3 in T20 cricket and Yashasvi might open. By the World Cup, I feel he will become a part of the team, and might be seen playing in the XI after the World Cup," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra highlighted that a king needs a great commander to remain on the throne for long. He noted that Shubman Gill will need Yashasvi Jaiswal if he has to become a great captain.