The Indian cricket team will see wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant in action for the two-match Test series starting November 14 against South Africa. Pant, returning to the team, has been named vice-captain, securing his spot as the wicketkeeper for the matches.
In Pant’s absence, Dhruv Jurel was included in the playing XI, taking on the role of wicketkeeper. However, he remains a part of the India Test squad against South Africa due to his fantastic form, making it seemingly unfair to exclude him from the playing XI. Given Jurel's remarkable current form, the team management and selection committee are considering him indispensable.
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According to PTI reports, Dhruv Jurel might feature in the playing XI as a specialist batter in the upcoming Test series. Two batting positions are being considered for Jurel. While Sai Sudarshan solidified his spot at number 3 with an impressive performance against the West Indies, Nitish Kumar Reddy's potential exclusion could strengthen Jurel’s presence in the middle order. Due to less need for Nitish’s bowling in home conditions, Jurel's inclusion seems justified.
Team Management Keen on Offering More Opportunities to Sudarshan
A BCCI source mentioned, 'Dhruv Jurel stands a good chance of playing as a specialist batter. One of the positions could be number 3, currently occupied by Sai Sudarshan. After hitting a half-century in his last Test, the team desires consistency at this position. The second possibility is replacing Nitish Kumar Reddy, whose bowling isn’t much required in these conditions.'
Over the past months, Dhruv Jurel has consistently delivered extraordinary performances in domestic matches, scoring three centuries, a half-century, and a 40+ score in his last eight first-class innings. Notably, he hit centuries in both innings of the second first-class match against South Africa-A. This exceptional form cements his spot in the playing XI. Head Coach Gautam Gambhir supports maintaining a robust batting line-up till number 8, planning to feature three spinners alongside two pacers.
Historically, the Indian Test team has fielded dual wicketkeepers together, as seen with Kiran More and Chandrakant Pandit in 1986. Last year, during the Perth Test against Australia, both Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant played together. Additionally, in limited-overs cricket, Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant have played in the same XI alongside Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
