Dhruv Jurel’s impressive performance during India A’s recent unofficial Tests in Australia has raised significant debate about his potential role in India's main squad.
With Rohit Sharma likely to be unavailable for the opening Test match of the series and KL Rahul struggling with consistency as an opener, selectors are under pressure to rethink the batting lineup ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Jurel’s remarkable middle-order performance, coupled with his wicketkeeping skills, has positioned him as a strong alternative to fill the gap.
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How do Dhruv Jurel's recent performances compare to Rahul’s struggles?
KL Rahul's recent performances in the unofficial Tests have offered little encouragement. In the second Test, Rahul struggled to establish a rhythm, contributing only 4 and 10 runs in his two innings before being dismissed by Australia's second-string attack.
Jurel, meanwhile, took charge of India's innings under pressure, managing to score half-centuries in both innings with disciplined and aggressive batting.
His first innings tally of 80 runs and a follow-up score of 68 highlighted his ability to handle challenging conditions. Given this contrasting performance, Jurel's inclusion could add stability and depth to India’s batting lineup.
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Shubman Gill should open while Dhruv Jurel strengthens the middle order
Another factor favouring Jurel’s inclusion over Rahul is the potential to allow Shubman Gill to take on an opening role, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Gill began his Test career for India as an opener only and has recently shifted to the number 3 position. He made his debut during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne on India’s last tour of Australia in 2020-21, where he played a key role in the historic Gabba win, contributing a fluent 91 in a memorable 328-run chase.
Gill has proven his capability in the top order. His presence as an opener could help India set a strong foundation, while Jurel can bring reliability and stability to the middle order.
Looking beyond immediate performances, grooming a reliable wicketkeeper-batter like Jurel could also be a vital move for India’s future in Test cricket.
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What do Dhurv Jurel's stats say?
In both domestic and international outings, Jurel has steadily proven his mettle.
Below is an overview of Jurel’s performance metrics in Domestic and Test Cricket.
| Format | Matches | Innings | Runs | High Score | Average | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 3 | 4 | 190 | 90 | 63.33 | 0 | 1 |
| FC | 21 | 28 | 1223 | 249 | 48.92 | 1 | 9 |
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