'Series would've been 2-2' - Aakash Chopra hails Dhruv Jurel's game-changing Ranchi knock

Former India batter Aakash Chopra was all praise for wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel who made his Test debut during the 5-match home Test series against England. Jurel earned his maiden cap in the 3rd Test at Rajkot, scoring 46 in a match that ended up as India’s biggest-ever red-ball win by 434 runs. The 23-year-old also amassed 90 runs in the 2nd innings of the 4th Test which Chopra thinks, was the turning point.

Aakash Chopra while speaking on his latest YouTube video, claimed that Dhruv Jurel’s 90-run knock at the JSCA stadium in Ranchi was the defining moment for India. Chopra believes the series would have ended in a 2-2 draw instead of the 4-1 win, if it wasn’t for that innings Jurel played from the number 7 position.

Aakash Chopra hails Jurel’s 4th Test heroics

India were in a difficult situation when Jurel had walked out to bat. The hosts had lost the entire batting order very cheaply with Yashavi Jaiswal becoming the only one that day to have a 50+ score from top-order. The hosts were at 171/6 when Jurel came and by the time he left the crease as India’s final wicket, the score was at 307.

That was quite a remarkable turnaround from the 23-year-old who was playing just his 2nd international Test match. Dhruv Jurel’s inning was all about patience, balance, and determination to keep his team in the game after the initial scare. That Aakash Chopra thinks was a knock that kept the series in favor of India, otherwise it would have been 2-2.

“At No. 5, I have got Dhruv Jurel. The knock he played in Ranchi, if that 90-run knock had not come, you would have been standing at 2-2. If you were at 2-2, no one knows what might have happened in Dharamsala,” Aakash Chopra said on his latest YouTube video. 

Then later on in the 4th innings when India were asked to chase down 192 for the win, Jurel stood up for the task yet again. After a commanding start, the Indians were reduced from 84/1 to 120/5. Some might have thought that it was the start of England’s fairytale return but Jurel coupled with Shubman Gill for a 72-run partnership.

It was enough for India to claim victory by 5 wickets and that eventually stamped a 17th straight red-ball series win for India since 2012. Dhruv Jurel was also adjudged as man of the match for his 90 and 39*. That moment, according to Aakash Chopra was a top 5 moment for India in the series.

“Dhruv Jurel batted with the tail, played fast bowling well, and hit many big shots too. His contribution in the second innings was also extremely crucial. So I have kept Dhruv Jurel’s amazing Player of the Match performance at No. 5,” Chopra concluded.  

Dhruv Jurel earns Grade C central contract

With his appearance in the 5th Test match in Dharamshala, Dhruv Jurel has automatically been included in Grade C of BCCI’s annual player retainers for the 2024 calendar year. He will be joined by fellow teammate Sarfaraz Khan as both of them made debuts in the same match and have played the minimum criteria of 3 Tests.