Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has named three emerging players in Indian cricket. Cricketer-turned-commentator Shubman Gill went on to pick Yashasvi Jaiswal and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and explained the reasons behind his picks.
Shubman Gill was introduced as a prince Indian cricket. The amount of achievements he has achieved so far in his short career has been exceptional. The young batsman also became the vice-captain of the Indian team in white-ball cricket.
Shubman Gill is seen as a potential replacement for Virat Kohli. Although he is far from that level, he has promised a lot. The young up-and-comer has already done some fantastic things in his career and with the kind of talent he possesses, he looks set to be the next big thing in Indian cricket.
Aakash Chopra, while explaining why he chose Shubman Gill, mentioned that the batter is a future superstar. He admitted that the offside has not fared well in T20s, but he highlighted the example of current skipper Rohit Sharma, who was not named in the 2011 World Cup squad but turned into a big player. Speaking to Raj Shamani, he explained:
“There are three such players. There is Shubman Gill. He has that quality, I mean, he is a future superstar. He is doing that. You shouldn’t have picked him in the T20s (World Cup). The squad was good. Well, that’s our That’s our problem. Now he has to play in all three formats. He can.
“IPL, he does it very well. He has scored 900 runs in a year. He had a great season with Gujarat. So he is very young. He will understand that. But if he doesn’t go, that’s okay. Rohit Sharma in 2011 World Cup did not play.Aakash Chopra said.
Aakash Chopra later cited his ability to understand the pulse of the game as Shubman Gill’s greatest quality. He linked the youngster with Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni and said that the youngster understands when and how to change his role. He added:
“Shubman’s biggest quality is understanding the pulse of the game. Understanding the pulse of the game. You play for a long time and you don’t understand. Some players understand very quickly.
“Some eventually understand. Some never understand. So they understand the grades you see very quickly. So Virat Kohli understood the pulse of the game very quickly. Mahendra Singh Dhoni understood the pulse of the one-day batting very quickly.” Aakash Chopra said.
“Shubman Gill got the pulse of the game. He understands 100% where the game is going. Where can I go? Where can I take it? How can he run because of me? He’s absolutely brilliant. He’s top-notch. He gets it.”
Talking about Yashasvi Jaiswal, Aakash Chopra recalled the young batter’s journey and introduced him as a hard-working cricketer. The cricketer-commentator feels that the batsman has game for all three formats and has the drive to make up for it even if he feels something is missing. He elaborated:
“The second guy I like a lot is Yashasvi Jaiswal. I think he’s got a lot going for him. He’s got a really good story, too. He’s got his head on. I mean, he’s solid on his shoulders. He’s a hard worker. And he’s got a lot of strength.
“He’s got the game for three formats. If we want to deal with that fact again. He’s got the game for three formats. He can do this, he can do that. And if there’s one thing he’s missing, he’s got the passion. Get it done. That’s him. It’s kind of crazy passion,” said Aakash Chopra.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has found a regular place in the Indian team in Tests and T20Is. The fielder has done very well for the team in both the formats. In his short career so far, he has hardly put a foot wrong for his team, consistently scoring goals.
Aakash Chopra was a great admirer of Rishabh Pant
Aakash Chopra admired Rishabh Pant who, according to him, had an extra element. He feels that the wicket-keeper-batsman has a unique batting ability, along with his confidence, which makes him a special player.
Aakash Chopra mentioned that when he first saw Rishabh Pant, he was a combination of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh. The wicketkeeper-batsman has proven himself in Test cricket and abroad, added the cricketer-turned-commentator. While praising Pant, he explained:
“The third one is Rishabh Pant. Rishabh Pant also has something. He has that extra element. Rishabh Pant has some unique skills. He has unique batting skills. Along with his confidence, he has batting skills.
“That I can do this thing that others dare not do. There is something about him. When I saw Rishabh for the first time, I said that he is a combination of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh. His style of play is such a combination.
“Being in white-ball cricket is a phenomenal combination. But his specialty came out in Test cricket. When he played in England, when he played in South Africa, when he played in Australia. I mean, it was sensational.” Aakash Chopra said.
“It is possible to change a game in a T20 game and an ODI game. We have seen it many times, one bat, one bowler, one spell, change the game. To change the game in Test cricket, you need to play one session.
“To play a session and go to the end, he’s done it a few times outside India. So, tough directions. That’s what sets him apart. I’m telling you, Indian cricket is going to keep throwing names. You’re going to go, wow, this guy too very tough,” concluded Aakash Chopra.
