No more Pant’s backup: India's search for a Test No.3 could end at Dhruv Jurel

“Can you give me a chance?”

Many years ago, in the sleepy town of Agra, Dhruv Jurel asked his father if he could realistically pursue cricket as a career. The answer was a flat no. “If you take up a government job, it will be good for us,” was the answer, as he recalled in an interview with Wisden.com

Jurel didn’t give up though, telling himself to be “brave” and take the plunge.

Since then, he’s been all about turning opportunities into gold.

In Ahmedabad, Jurel got another chance to make his mark in the Test whites, having played five games across a year and a half. Until now, he had been an understudy to Rishabh Pant. Against the West Indies, he was briefly freed of that tag, getting a first-choice specialist role with Pant out with injury.

And he made it count. Just like he has, all through his career so far.

Coming in at 188-3, Jurel took India to a commanding 424-5, compiling his first century at the top level. Batting at five for the first time, he finished with 125, studded with 15 fours and three sixes. He accessed the square more than the V, producing an assured knock that only adds to his prolific year so far.

This West Indies attack might not be the strongest around, but Jurel sure knows the value of grabbing every chance.

Two years ago, Jurel’s IPL debut came as an Impact Player where he surprised everyone with a blistering 32* off 15. A year later, he got a mid-series chance to replace an out-of-form KS Bharat, and batted nearly two-and-half hours on Test debut for a 46 from No.8.

Next game, he top-scored with a fighting 90 from No.7, taking India from 177-7 to 307, and played a calm 39* in a 192-run chase in Ranchi. At that point, there was no clarity over his future in the side, with Rishabh Pant, India’s golden boy, set to return.

Since that debut series, Jurel appeared once in Australia, and once in England, first coming in as a stopgap specialist batter and then replacing Pant as an injury replacement. Between all of it, Jurel has been filling in behind the sticks too, and had to endure a tough initiation to English conditions when Pant wasn’t available.

Jurel: A first-class batter rapidly growing in stature

Even if he might be work-in-progress as a keeper overseas, Jurel has continued to present a solid case as a batter. When he made his Ranji debut in 2022, Jurel had capitalised on another chance, scoring 64 to turn 57-4 into a 300-plus score.

Next season, Uttar Pradesh decided to push him to open. The result? A 249 off 329, ended only by a run-out, against a hapless Nagaland attack. It’s rare to see first-class teams open the batting with their wicketkeeper, but UP persisted with Jurel at the top.

In the innings that followed, he hit 26 (66), 50 (61), 0 (1), 31* (35), 29 (89), 44 (79).

Those numbers might not be striking, but Jurel particularly stepped up when Uttar Pradesh were in a strife. That season, they finished sixth out of eight. He was their second-highest run-getter, showing a clear capacity to tackle the new ball even with his back to the wall. No other UP batter faced as many deliveries as him that season.

Jurel opening for Uttar Pradesh (Ranji Trophy 2022/23)

*Match drawn

In the Duleep semi-final that followed, he got a chance at three, and scored 46 (55) in a total of 128, and 25 (52) in a drawn game for Central Zone v West Zone.

Since then, Jurel progressed to play for India A, where there’s already a rat race to occupy a top-three spot. Uttar Pradesh also gave him a middle-order slot in his brief appearances since. He looked just as comfortable there.

Dhruv Jurel in first-class cricket

By batting position

Even in tougher assignments, Jurel adjusted well. On India A’s tour to South Africa, he put behind a duck with a 69 off 166 in Benoni. In last year’s Irani Cup, Jurel batted over three hours for his 93 from No.6 for Rest of India. Then, on India A’s tour to Australia, he cracked a 186-ball 80, when other India rookies struggled to acclimatise to the MCG pitch, following it up with a 68 (no one else crossed fifty both times). Naturally, India wanted him in the Test team as standby.

Ahead of the England Tests, Jurel looked at home in Canterbury, cracking 94 against England Lions, and then a run-a-ball 53 from No.3. He followed that with another fifty in the next game, and 28 (51) thereafter.

Making the most of Pant’s absence

He effortlessly continued that form since. Against the touring Australia A in his home state less than a fortnight ago, Jurel hit 140, and followed it with a fourth-innings fifty. With Pant out of the season opener due to a fractured foot, Jurel was naturally set to take his place against the West Indies.

Anyone who has seen Jurel bat for a sizeable period would appreciate the remarkable aesthetics he lends to the crease. A bit of his keeping reflexes seep into his batting: he’s noticeably quick to read the line or get to the pitch. His drives are high elbow and full of conviction. He likes to deal in deft touches past point, and dainty flicks past any leg-side cover. And he’s quick to jump to a flighted ball.

In fact, from a technical point of view, Jurel is largely flawless. The ease with which he has batted across Australia, South Africa and England reflect that. It was no surprise that, in his first real chance as a designated wicketkeeper, Jurel ground the touring West Indians to dust with a chance-less 125.

Where does he fit now?

It’s obvious that Jurel is more than just a standby keeper. So far, he’s made the most of every chance that’s come his way, and looks primed to take the next step. Now, displacing Pant from his throne is out of question. He still commands his place as India’s first-choice keeper when he’s fit. When he plays, that’s four, five and six sealed for Shubman Gill, Pant and Ravindra Jadeja. And, with Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the mix, there’s little space to tweak the lower order.

Now, ever since Cheteshwar Pujara’s departure, India have been tinkering with the No.3 spot. Gill took over at the start, but he’s now thriving at four. Since the 2023 WTC final, India have tried out Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair at that position. Karun and Sudharsan, at different points of their career, haven’t really nailed it yet, with a combined one fifty from 11 innings. Padikkal has batted only twice, managing 25 overall. Both the left-handers, though, have had fine showings leading up to the West Indies tour. While Sudharsan hit 73, 75 & 100 against Australia A, Padikkal managed 150, 1 & 5.

Sai Sudharsan v Devdutt Padikkal at No.3 in first-class cricket

In the first Test, Sudharsan got the nod, but departed for 7 when three of the top six hit fifty-plus scores.

Now, Jurel’s numbers at three in the early years of his first-class career (bloated further by one knock) might not really compare to the specialist roles both Sudharsan and Padikkal essay for their sides, but his batting has also grown significantly since. As a whole, he looks adept at switching into different roles and adapting well.

He’s in a rich run of form, and has the technique and ability to bat in the top three. Maybe, he could be just the answer India’s been struggling with.

It’ll be interesting to see how it fits into a global phenomenon currently in motion. Since the start of 2018, no batting position has endured a sharper drop in average than No.3, prompting teams to tinker with a “false three”. It's a role that allows the No.3 to bruise the new ball and keep it away from the No.4 for as long as possible.

As a proper bat, Jurel gives the Indian team the flexibility to play both him and Pant in the same XI. So far, he's shown the ability to put in long shifts in the middle, and also has the game to switch gears where needed. So far though, he's kept it “risk free” in the longer format, as he said at the end of the second day’s play in Ahmedabad.

The added stability - and Jurel has shown that across different conditions so far - could have a positive effect on Gill, Pant, and Jadeja.

For this series at least, India wouldn’t need to tinker with Pant absent. But if he’s back for the South Africa Tests, it will be a tough choice to make. And ignoring Jurel won’t be easy.

Given India’s expansive batting riches, Jurel might be a left-field pick. But he’s proved, time and again, that all he needs is one chance.

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