Aakash Chopra names Jos Buttler-Yashasvi Jaiswal’s opening pair as number one in IPL 2024

Two of the most dominant batters in world cricket - Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal are set to open for Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. Buttler, who's known for his aggressive batting, can set the stage ablaze, while youngster Jaiswal has matured a lot in the last year and is now poised to have an explosive season, as former cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that the 22-year-old can once again score over 600 runs in the IPL.

Chopra’s optimism stems from Jaiswal’s current purple patch. After having a remarkable IPL in 2023, he got into international cricket, in which, he has made multiple headlines. In less than a year, Jaiswal has scored two double centuries in Test cricket and has been one of the first names on the team sheet as far as T20I cricket is concerned. 

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Chopra believes that the dynamic opening pair of Buttler and Jaiswal is currently the number one in the IPL as the duo can wreak havoc in the cash-rich tournament.

“I feel Rajasthan’s opening combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler is amazing. It could actually be ranked No. 1. I am saying that firstly because of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s current form. It means his 600-plus IPL season is almost loading,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra’s second pick for the best opening pair features the Chennai Super Kings duo of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad. While Conway’s recent form is a bit concerning, Gaikwad’s hunger to get back to the national team can bring out the best in him. Meanwhile, the former cricketer also observed that although the duo is not destructive, their reliability could be their strength.

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“At No. 2, I am going towards consistency. You might get more consistency from Chennai because they have Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Although Devon Conway's recent form hasn't been great, something happens to him as soon as he reaches Chennai. Ruturaj Gaikwad must also be itching because he hasn't played much cricket from the last IPL until now. It could be the most consistent kind of pair. It might not be very explosive but you can keep it towards the top in terms of consistency,” the 46-year-old stated.