Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons Yashasvi Jaiswal has gone beyond Shubman Gill in the T20I setup. The youngster has got off to a promising start in his T20I career and has been giving solid starts at the top of the order.

Jaiswal scored an attacking knock of 68 runs off just 34 balls in the second T20I against Afghanistan at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore on Sunday to help India chase down 173 runs and win by six wickets to take an impregnable lead of 2-0 in the series.

The left-hander played with an aggressive approach as he smashed five fours and six sixes and scored his runs at a strike rate of 200. Jaiswal brought his fourth T20I fifty off just 27 balls as he made the most of the Powerplay conditions. The southpaw added a fine partnership of 92 runs off just 42 balls with Shivam Dube, who scored an unbeaten 61-run knock.

On the other hand, Shubman Gill was dismissed cheaply after scoring 23 runs in the opening T20I against Afghanistan whereas Jaiswal missed the first game due to a sore groin.

Jaiswal has scored 498 runs in 16 T20I matches at an impressive average of 35.57 and a blistering strike rate of 163.82.

“Yashasvi is going. Again, the way he is batting. You will feel it would be 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 (Shubman) Gill. But now you will not be able to touch him,” said Chopra on his YouTube Channel.

“You should not even try for it (not selecting Jaiswal) 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,” Chopra added.

The third and last T20I of the series between India and Afghanistan will be played at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Wednesday.