Young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has been garnering massive praise from fans and experts for his impressive knocks in the Ranchi Test which India won by 5 wickets. Playing just the second Test of his career, the Uttar Pradesh batter scored a valiant 90 in the first innings when the hosts wanted someone to stay put and reduce the deficit. In the second essay, he scored a match-winning 39 not out and featured in a 52-run unbeaten stand with Shubman Gill as India successfully chased down 192 on a tricky Ranchi track.
Jurel’s performance earned him the Player of the Match award, also leading to a discussion about whether he would retain his place with Rishabh Pant aiming a comeback to cricket. The latter has been out of action since surviving a horrific car crash in December 2022 and is currently working on his comeback, like to be in the forthcoming IPL 2024.
After Pant’s accident, the team management gave a long rope to KS Bharat and even handed the debut to Ishan Kishan, last year in the West Indies. While the Andhra cricketer couldn’t produce satisfactory results with the bat, the latter has been on break citing mental fatigue.
Former India captain Anil Kumble didn’t delve too much into the selection debate but admitted that Jurel has all the credentials to achieve what Dhoni did in his career.
“Oh yes, there’s Rishabh Pant. We don’t know of course when he comes, comes back whenever that happens. Sooner hopefully for Rishabh. But otherwise, yes, he certainly has all the credentials to get to where MS (Dhoni) reached in his career,” Kumble said on Jio Cinema.
“But he’s shown that he’s not just shown the temperament of his technique to defence but even when he’s attacking. Even in that first innings he was very assured he went after and then hit those big sixes when he was batting with the tail and hats off even behind the stumps,” he added.
Kumble highlighted Jurel’s ability to tackle the fast bowlers, stating that the youngster will get better with time.
“He’s been exceptional. Especially of the faster bowlers. Spinners again took a couple of really good catches and he’s only going to improve. This is only his second Test and I’m sure as he starts playing more and more he’ll only get better. And it only augers well for India. And to have him in a squad is exceptional,” he added.
The spin legend also mentioned that for KS Bharat, it must have been difficult to be benched in the middle of the series. But it’s also a fact that Jurel grabbed the opportunity with both and made his presence felt.
“Yeah, I mean it’s not been easy for KS Bharat. But that’s why I said the selectors, having seen him with only 15 1st class games have chosen him. Saying okay, this is the person who we believe and introduced him in that last Test. And since then he’s been outstanding and he’s played the match because the batting really I always feel and I don’t want to sort of throw a dampener on this at all because that’s not my intention,” he added.
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