Dhruv Jurel has shown steady progress in his young international career since debuting against England earlier this year, filling in for KS Bharat. However, with Rishabh Pant back in the lineup, the 23-year-old Jurel’s chances as wicketkeeper in the playing XI remain slim—unless injury necessitates it. But after his gritty knock in the second unofficial Test against Australia ‘A’ in Melbourne, Jurel might push Indian management to consider him for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series opener in Perth on November 22.
Arriving early in Australia alongside KL Rahul to acclimate with India ‘A’, Jurel made an impactful 80 off 186 balls under pressure after coming in at a shaky 11 for 4, contrasting Rahul’s early dismissal for just four runs. This performance underscored Jurel’s adaptability and resilience, strengthening his case for inclusion in the senior team.
If coach Gautam Gambhir considers Jurel as a specialist batsman, who might he replace? With captain Rohit Sharma likely to miss the first Test, Rahul is expected to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, competing with Abhimanyu Easwaran, whose recent form against Australia ‘A’ has been underwhelming, highlighted by a duck on Day 1. Though unlikely, Jurel could be a surprise opening option alongside Jaiswal. More realistically, he might contend for a middle-order spot, replacing Sarfaraz Khan, whose form has been inconsistent. Outside of a 150-run knock in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz averaged just 28.50 in the remaining innings against New Zealand and could be vulnerable to Australia’s sledging tactics, making Jurel a potential replacement with his current momentum.
Since his debut in the Rajkot Test, Jurel has scored 190 runs across three Tests, averaging 63.33, with a top score of 90. As the match in Melbourne saw India ‘A’ bowled out for 161, with Australia reaching 53 for 2 at stumps, Jurel’s performance stands out, marking him as a promising candidate to strengthen India’s lineup in the BGT.
