After Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel has a missed out on a first-class hundred. The talented wicketkeeper batter was unbeaten on 82, when he second day’s action begin in Canterbury against England Lions. Batting at number five for India A, Jurel started cautiously to begin with. He had a look at the pitch and bowlers. When in, he started to put the opposition on the back foot.
Coming in after Sarfaraz’s dismissal on 92, Jurel was batting alongside a well-set Karun Nair. The runs were on the board; India A were on top. And Jurel, who was named vice-captain, knew he had all the time in the world to settle in. The wicketkeeper was 8 (23) at one point but then raced off the blocks. At the end of the first day, he was unbeaten on 82 (104).
And it didn’t take him long to get going in the first session of day. He started the day with a four. But a hundred wasn’t to be. Ajeet Singh Dale drew Jurel outside his off stump on a full ball. He looked to defend the ball and was caught at first slip by Ben McKinney.
Jurel’s luck with missing on centuries isn’t new. He scored a glorious 90 in his debut Test series against England in Ranchi but couldn’t get to his ton. And departed after fifties in Australia while playing for India A in 2024 as well. And now he scores 94 against England Lions.
Jurel’s talent is such that the management play him over Sarfaraz Khan in Australia in the middle order. And he’s also been selected for the England Test as the backup wicketkeeper and middle order batter. There’s something that the selectors and management know he’s got a compact defense and can strike quickly if he wants.
Rishabh Pant’s Test return
This knock will create a healthy rivalry for the wicketkeeper spot. While no one is questioning Rishabh Pant’s credential as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper, his record since his return hasn’t been great. After playing against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Pant scored just 1 fifty in 9 innings in Australia and amassed just 255 runs at 28.33.
Pant had played some of his best knocks in Australia. His most memorable performance, Gabba 2021, was Down Under. And he’d made a name for himself in the 2018-19 tour prior. But his returns in Australia and overall, since returning aren’t up to his best.
Rishabh Pant’s Test stats since returning from injury
| Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 677 | 37.61 | 73.58 | 1 | 4 |
Pant wouldn’t be dropped by Gautam Gambhir or Shubman Gill but Jurel might still find a place. There is a middle order spot up for grabs. Now, Karun Nair seems to the front-runner for that spot but who knows whether his form will hold up. Injuries on long tour, like this 5-Test one, are almost bound to happen as well. In any case, Jurel will be ready.
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