"Dhruv Jurel played a masterful innings" - Alastair Cook lauds wicketkeeper's batting prowess

India and England are clashing against each other at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium in Ranchi in the fourth Test of the five-match series. Dhruv Jurel saved India’s drowning boat in the first innings and took it to a safe 307 from 177/7. The 23-year-old wicketkeeper scored 90 off 149 balls and smashed four sixes and six fours in his innings. Former England skipper Alastair Cook has lauded the wicketkeeper for his ‘masterful innings’ in the first innings against England.

Dhruv Jurel came onto bat when India was struggling at 161/7 and then they lost a couple more wickets reducing them to 177/7. From there, Dhruv Jurel stitched a partnership of 76 runs with Kuldeep Yadav for the eighth wicket. He also added 40 runs with No.10 Akash Deep and his batting with the lower order was brilliant. Dhruv Jurel missed a well-deserved ton against England as Tom Hartley’s quicker evaded his defence and cracked onto the stumps when he was on 90.

Dhruv Jurel received a standing ovation from the Ranchi crowd and the Indian team dugout after his innings. Joe Root ran to him and congratulated him on a spectacular innings that saved the Indian team from a shambolic collapse. It was a mature innings from the youngster who is playing just the second Test match of his career and he showed immense grit and patience to reach his 90 smashing six fours and four sixes.

“Jurel played a masterful innings with the tail, dragging India back into this game. I thought more would happen this morning but the wickets seem to have settled down,” said Cook. Alastair Cook was the England skipper who led the side when England defeated India in India in a Test Series back in 2012. He led the side to a 2-1 victory against the hosts and was brilliant with the bat. That was the last time a team defeated India in a Test series in India.

Dhruv Jurel has been brilliant with both the bat and the gloves

The 23-year-old wicketkeeper was included in the Playing XI replacing the underperforming KS Bharat and he has been a perfect replacement with his performances for India behind the wickets and in front of the wickets. Dhruv Jurel has been involved in five dismissals and has scored 136 runs in the two Test matches at an average of 68. Jurel has perfectly executed his role of a wicketkeeper-batter and has solved India’s lower-order crisis in this series scoring 46 and 90 in the respective two matches.

England scored 353 after electing to bat first as Joe Root was back to his natural game scoring an unbeaten 122 off 274 deliveries which included 10 fours. He smashed his 31st Test century and his 10th against India which came after a terrible first three Tests in the series.

India scored 307 in the second innings laying back on Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s 73 and Dhruv Jurel’s 90. England is currently struggling in the second innings as they have lost eight wickets under 150 runs and India is nearing another win to seal the Test series recording their 17th consecutive Test series win at home.