Dhruv Jurel’s imperious form ahead of the forthcoming India-South Africa Test series will put the team management in a spot of bother with regard to their combinations at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Being a wicket-keeper, Jurel has been in contention for playing time with vice-captain Rishabh Pant, and with the latter slated to return for the Proteas series, there is a possibility that the youngster could miss out on the XI. However, given his form, there have been talks to include both Jurel and Pant in the playing XI.
Jurel cracked centuries in both innings of the second four-day match against South Africa A in Bengaluru, albeit in a losing cause with the visitors gunning down a staggering 417-run target. Juel became only the second man to record multiple hundreds in a First-Class match while representing India A.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra has suggested that Jurel could come in at the expense of either Sai Sudharsan or all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy in the opening Test this Friday, with both players yet to cement their spots in the order.
“The team has been selected and both Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant are there. Rishabh Pant will play. Rishabh Pant is the vice-captain. So he is going to play and he should play. He is a generational talent if you talk about Test cricket, but I feel Dhruv Jurel should also be played. A place should be created for him in the XI,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“The question will be whether you will compromise Sai Sudharsan from the top or Nitish Kumar Reddy from below. I think Sai Sudharsan should be allowed to play at No. 3. You haven’t got Nitish Kumar Reddy to do his job properly thus far. So you can actually sacrifice him and keep Dhruv Jurel there,” he added.
Former India pacer Varun Aaron also hailed Jurel’s form and said India could find it hard to ignore the Uttar Pradesh batter.
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“Jurel and Pant scoring runs together, it’s so many good headaches for this Indian setup, in the T20 setup, in the ODI setup, in the Test setup, but then again, if they are going to bowl Nitish Kumar Reddy just five or six overs, they might as well play Jurel,” Aaron said.
Match practice is second to none when it comes to practice, because in a match, no matter what level of game you play, there is pressure. No matter how much you bat in the nets, there is always that difference between the match pressure and the net pressure. In a match, you just have one chance to get out. In the nets, you can get out so many times. I feel it’s great that Rishabh Pant played a game,” Aaron observed.
Jurel averages 58.00 in FC cricket across 30 games with five centuries. In seven Tests for India, Jurel has amassed 430 runs at 47.77 with his maiden hundred coming recently against the West Indies.
