The 24-year-old has played in seven Tests so far.
A sensational run of form by Dhruv Jurel has thrust him into the spotlight for a permanent spot in India’s Test setup. The young wicketkeeper-batter has been in sublime touch, amassing two centuries in India A vs South Africa A unofficial Test in Bengaluru.
Former India ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took to his X handle (formerly Twitter) to heap praises on Dhruv Jurel, lauding his remarkable consistency.
“Dhruv Jurel is making it very hard for the coach and captain to drop him from the Test match coming up,” wrote Ashwin.
Jurel’s back-to-back tons came under immense pressure. Batting at No.6 with India A reeling at 59 for four in the first innings, the right-hander scored a dodgy 132 off 175 balls, decorated with 12 fours and four sixes, guiding his team to a respectable 255 before being skittled out.
In the second innings, India A suffered yet another top-order collapse, and Jurel walked into the middle at 84/4. He delivered another masterful innings, smashing an unbeaten 127 off 170 balls with 15 fours and a maximum. He shared a crucial 192-run stand with Harsh Dubey (84) to put India A in a commanding position. Overall, Jurel finished the match with 259 runs without being dismissed, sending a strong message to the team management ahead of the two-match Test series between India and South Africa, starting November 14.
This is not a one-off show from Jurel. The 24-year-old has been a consistent performer for India since his debut. Earlier this year, the wicketkeeper-batter made a strong impression with a hundred and a half-century against Australia A, followed by an unforgettable maiden Test century against the West Indies last month. His performances have underlined his ability to adapt to different conditions and situations, a trait for a Test batter. His emphatic run further earned him a place in India’s ODI setup for the Australia tour, though he didn’t feature in any game.
Last year, Jurel played a magnificent 90-run knock under pressure against England in Ranchi, where India were reduced to 171/7 in reply to England’s first innings total of 353. His knock helped India concede a slender lead of 46 runs, which eventually paved the way for a five-wicket victory for the hosts.
ALSO READ:
Dhruv Jurel’s consistency is making selection decisions tougher for the Indian team management. With Rishabh Pant returning to the Playing XI, Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy face the possibility of making way for Jurel.
Sudharsan has struggled since his debut in England. Across four Tests, he managed just 147 runs in seven innings with a solitary half-century. In the West Indies series, he made only 133 runs. In the ongoing multi-day Test series against South Africa A, Sudharsan scored only 84 runs in four innings, averaging 21, which has further raised doubts over his place
NKR, on the other hand, is a regular on India’s away tours. He surprised many with his inclusion in home Tests, but failed to make his mark, scoring only 43 runs and bowling four overs in two Tests.
That leaves the door open for Jurel to move up the order, as assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted before the second Test against West Indies.
“We’ve shown last week just what a good player he is. We’ve known that all along. Sometimes he’s got to fit into the middle order. And there are other good players fighting for top spots. Shubman’s got No.4 done for now. Sai is aware of that. You don’t play cricket in India without expecting that sort of competition. It’s tough, but that’s the nature of the game here,” said Ryan ten Doeschate.
Given Nitish’s limited use in home conditions and Sudharsan’s poor form, Jurel has a strong chance to sneak into the playing XI as a specialist batter and own a permanent spot.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
