Dhruv Jurel reacts to 'another MS Dhoni in the making' remarks by the former Indian legend

Dhruv Jurel was brilliant with the bat during India’s first innings in the fourth Test which is being played at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium in Ranchi. He scored 90 off 149 deliveries in the first innings and missed out on a well-deserved ton by just 10 runs.

Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar lauded the 23-year-old wicketkeeper and drew comparisons with MS Dhoni saying that Jurel is another MS Dhoni in the making because of his game awareness.

Dhruv Jurel came onto the crease when India was struggling at 161/5 and then lost a couple more wickets with the score 177/7 on the board. He joined hands with Kuldeep Yadav and added 76 runs for the eighth wicket helping India to cross the 300-run mark in the first innings.

Dhruv Jurel scored 90 off 149 balls smashing six fours and four sixes in his innings as he was taking on the English bowlers all around the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi.

Sunil Gavaskar, while on commentary, compared Dhruv Jurel’s game awareness to that of the legendary MS Dhoni. It was not only Dhruv Jurel’s batting that impressed the Indian legend but also his wicketkeeping skills which led the Indian batting legend to reckon Dhruv Jurel is another MS Dhoni in the making. He said that Juel has a Dhoni-like game awareness and is a street-smart cricketer.

“Of course, he has batted well, but his keeping, his work behind the stumps has been equally brilliant. Just by looking at his game awareness, I want to say that he is another MS Dhoni in the making. I know there can never be another MSD but you know the presence of mind that he has, MSD also when he started, it was that. And Jurel has that game awareness. Street-smart cricketer,” Gavaskar said.

Dhruv Jurel revealed that he did not receive any instructions when he was coming to bat

“Obviously it’s a good feeling to hear a legend like Sunil Gavaskar talk about me. The mood was great, there were no specific instructions… just to go out and play. Watch the ball and play. Just that the longer I play the better it is,” said Dhruv Jurel during the post-day press conference. On missing his ton he said, “I don’t regret a bit on missing the hundred. It’s my debut Test series, I’m just desperate to lift this trophy in my hands. It’s always a childhood dream to play for India in Tests.”

England won the toss and elected to bat first making 353 in the first innings laying back on the ton by Joe Root who smashed an unbeaten 122 off 274 balls. India then accumulated 307 in their first innings, laying back on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 73 and Dhruv Jurel’s 90.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s 5/51 crumbled the England line-up for 145 and now India after the first session on Day 4 is relaxing at 118/3 needing only 74 runs to win the game and seal the series. India is already leading the series 2-1 and they are on the verge of winning the series to record their 17th consecutive Test series win at home.