Cricket-India unearth a 'gem' in Jurel to fill keeping void

In only his second test match, India wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel received the player-of-the-match award, praise from critics, and even admiration from his England counterpart, marking a dream start to his international career.

After Rishabh Pant’s car accident in December 2022, India was in search of a wicketkeeper who could match Pant’s skills both behind the stumps and with the bat.

During Pant’s absence, KL Rahul and Srikar Bharat tried their hand at keeping wickets, but neither seemed to be a long-term solution.

Jurel made his test debut in Rajkot, where India had a resounding victory over England, winning by 434 runs, their largest margin of victory by runs in the test format.

The 23-year-old Jurel, known for his hitting abilities in the Indian Premier League, showcased his power-hitting skills by smashing three sixes in his first test innings of 46 runs.

Not only was his batting impressive, but his keeping skills also shone during the match, with commentators praising his agility and presence of mind when running out an English batsman.

Jurel continued to prove his worth in the fourth test in Ranchi, where his brilliant knock of 90 helped India secure the series win with a match to spare.

Despite being 177-7 in response to England’s 353 in the first innings, Jurel’s innings took India to 307, preventing their opponents from establishing a bigger lead.

Although he fell short of a century, Jurel’s partnership with the lower-order batsmen and his smart batting stood out during the match.

With India struggling at 120-5 in the chase of 192 runs in the fourth innings, Jurel teamed up with Shubman Gill to guide India to a 3-1 series lead in a masterful display of defense.

“Dhruv Jurel is a special talent. India has discovered a gem in him,” former Australian player Tom Moody wrote.

Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar admired Jurel’s footwork, while former West Indies player Ian Bishop expressed optimism for the future of test cricket with the emergence of players like Jurel.

England captain Ben Stokes also commended Jurel’s performance, specifically highlighting his wicketkeeping skills, which even caught the eye of England’s wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Michael Perry)