Dhruv Jurel played exceptionally in MS Dhoni’s town - Anil Kumble hails wicketkeeper for gritty knock

The fourth Test between India and England is being played at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium in Ranchi and England is currently struggling having lost half of the team before reaching 150 in the 2nd innings. The 23-year-old wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel smashed a brilliant 90 off 149 balls in the first innings taking India’s total to 307 after they were struggling on 161/5 and then were reduced to 177/7. Dhruv Jurel added 76 runs with Kuldeep Yadav for the eighth wicket.

Former India spinner Anil Kumble heaped praise on Dhruv Jurel after the young wicketkeeper played a gritty knock in the first innings scoring 90 off 149 balls hitting six fours and four sixes in the innings. He missed a well-deserved ton by just 10 runs as Tom Hartley’s quicker went past his defense and hit the stumps. Anil Kumble lauds the innings and states that the innings was even more special as it came in MS Dhoni’s hometown who is India’s greatest wicketkeeper-batter of all time.

“The knock could not have come at a better venue. This is MS Dhoni’s town, and he was India’s best wicketkeeper and captain. To come here, for a wicketkeeper batter, is something very special. He (Dhruv Jurel) played exceptionally, he left the ball well, he was assured in his defence, and he was aggressive and positive. He knew what kind of shots would benefit him on this surface and how you need to do that, and he used that to good effect,” Kumble told Jio Cinema.

Anil Kumble also talked about the difficulty that comes while batting with No.9, 10, and 11. Dhruv Jurel added 76 runs with No.9 Kuldeep Yadav and 40 runs with No.10 Akash Deep. Kumble elaborated saying, “It’s not easy batting with No.9, 10 and 11, and he did that to great effect, not just for himself, but also bringing down the lead to less than 50. India will have a spring in their steps.”

Dhruv Jurel replaced KS Bharat in the Playing XI during the third Test

Dhruv Jurel was handed his debut cap during the third Test in Rajkot and he was added to the Playing XI replacing KS Bharat who was dropped after a string of low scores. He has brilliantly filled up the role of wicketkeeper as he has been involved in five dismissals in his first two Tests and has added 136 runs with the bat at an average of 68. He has performed brilliantly with both the bat and the gloves.

England won the toss and elected to bat first posting a total of 353 runs in the first innings as Joe Root scored his 31st Test century remaining unbeaten on one end at 122 off 274 deliveries. India then scored 307 in their first innings as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel played brilliantly scoring 73 and 90 respectively. Shoaib Bashir was the star for England as he took his first fifer in Test cricket recording figures of 5/119.

England is currently struggling in the second innings as they have lost six wickets under 150 runs as the Indian spinners have wreaked havoc. Ravichandran Ashwin took three wickets and Kuldeep Yadav bagged two wickets. Ravindra Jadeja took the last wicket of Jonny Bairstow.