Dhruv Jurel’s Incredible Potential: Charting a Pathway to MS Dhoni’s Success

Young wicketkeeper cum batsman Dhruv Jurel has been garnering massive praise from fans and experts for his impressive knocks in the Ranchi Test where India won the match by 5 wickets.

Dhruv is playing the second Test of his career, the UP batter scored 90 runs in the first innings when the hosts wanted someone to stay put and reduce the deficit.

In the second match, he scored a match-winning 39 not out and featured in a 52-run unbeatable stand with Shubman Gill as India won the Ranchi match.

Jurel’s extraordinary performance earned him the Player of the Match title, also leading to a discussion about whether he would retain his place with Rishabh Pant aiming for a comeback to the upcoming IPL season.

He has been out of competitive cricket after surviving a horrific car accident in December 022 and is presently working on his comeback, like to be in the IPL 2024.

After Pant’s accident, the team management gave a long rope to KS Bharat and even handed the debut to Ishan Kishan, in 2023 in West Indies. While the Andhra Pradesh cricketer couldn’t produce satisfactory results with the batter, the latter has been on break taking mental health treatment.

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Former India captain Anil Kumble didn’t involve too much in the player selection debate but admitted that Jurel has all the credentials to achieve what MS Dhoni did in his career.

“Oh yes, there’s Rishabh Pant. We don’t know of course when he comes, comes back whenever that happens. Sooner hopefully for Rishabh. But otherwise, yes, he certainly has all the credentials to get to where MS (Dhoni) reached in his career,” Kumble said on Jio Cinema.

“But he’s shown that he’s not just shown the temperament of his technique to defence but even when he’s attacking. Even in that first innings he was very assured he went after and then hit those big sixes when he was batting with the tail and hats off even behind the stumps,” he added.

Kumble highlighted Jurel’s ability to tackle the fast bowlers, stating that the youngster will get better with time.

“He’s been exceptional. Especially of the faster bowlers. Spinners again took a couple of really good catches and he’s only going to improve. This is only his second Test and I’m sure as he starts playing more and more he’ll only get better. And it only augers well for India. And to have him in a squad is exceptional,” he added.

The spin legend also stated that for KS Bharat, it must have been difficult to be benched in the middle of the series. But it’s also a fact that Jurel grabbed the opportunity with both and made his presence felt.

“Yeah, I mean it’s not been easy for KS Bharat. But that’s why I said the selectors, having seen him with only 15 1st class games have chosen him. Saying okay, this is the person who we believe and introduced him in that last Test. And since then he’s been outstanding and he’s played the match because the batting I always feel and I don’t want to sort of throw a dampener on this at all because that’s not my intention,” he added.

Watch: On this day in 1999, Anil Kumble took 10 wickets to script India’s famous win against Pakistan