"Angkrish Raghuvanshi reminded me of both Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill" - Aakash Chopra's bold claim on KKR Batter

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra praised Angkrish Raghuvanshi's batting performance during the 16th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Aakash Chopra likened Angkrish Raghuvanshi's batting style to that of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured a commanding 106-run victory in their third match of the season in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, April 3. The Shreyas Iyer-led side clinched their third consecutive win, placing them at the top of the 10-team points table.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi made his IPL debut against Royal Challengers Bengaluru but did not get the chance to bat. However, he impressed with an aggressive half-century against the Delhi Capitals, marking his arrival on the big stage against international cricketers.

The 18-year-old batter, who batted at No. 3, reached his maiden half-century off 25 balls. Raghuvanshi added 104 runs in just 48 deliveries with Sunil Narine for the second wicket. He scored 54 runs off 27 balls, as KKR set a formidable total of 272/7 in 20 overs.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi Is The Identity Of The New India - Aakash Chopra

In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra praised Sunil Narine as the standout performer in the recent match. He also commended Raghuvanshi for his fearless batting style, drawing comparisons to Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill.

"After that, a small kid - Raghuvanshi. This player also showed that he is the identity of the new India. How times have changed - when Mayank Yadav bowls, he is also the new India's kid, it doesn't matter to him who is standing in front of him, whether it's Jonny Bairstow, Cameron Green or Glenn Maxwell," Chopra said.

"When you saw Raghuvanshi, he said it doesn't make a difference to him whether it's Anrich Nortje or Khaleel Ahmed - 'who cares'. He was hitting from the first ball. He scored his runs at a strike rate of 200. He reminded me of both Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill," he added.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi fell to a delivery from Proteas pacer Anrich Nortje. His impressive innings secured him a notable place in KKR's records, making him the second youngest player to score a fifty for the team and joining Shubman Gill in this achievement.

You Will Say Suryakumar Yadav - Angkrish Raghuvanshi

Aakash Chopra highlighted Angkrish Raghuvanshi's versatility in batting, showcasing unorthodox shots akin to Suryakumar Yadav and elegant strokes resembling Shubman Gill.

"He played one Supla shot, if his picture is blurred and you are asked who played that shot, you will say Surya, but Raghuvanshi played it. Then the shots he played on his legs, I am seeing glimpses of Shubman Gill in some of his shots. Raghuvanshi was absolutely phenomenal," Chopra further added.

DC failed to chase down KKR's 273, getting bowled out for 166. Pant smashed a half-century, scoring 55 runs off 32 balls with four fours and five sixes, while Stubbs also contributed with 54 runs. Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakravarthy took three wickets each.

The Knight Riders are set to face the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their next match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday, April 8.

Also read: Gautam Gambhir and Chandrakant Pandit kicked aside as Angkrish Raghuvanshi shows his true colours after batting heroics vs Delhi