Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly said that Dhruv Jurel should play in the upcoming Tests against South Africa, the first one scheduled to take place at the Eden Gardens, as a pure batter. With first choice wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant set to make a return, Ganguly wondered if Jurel could be used as a No. 3 batter.
“He’s playing well, isn’t he? Rishabh is back and I don’t know what the selectors are thinking. Basically, the spots are taken — two openers, (Shubman) Gill at 4, Pant at 5, KL (Rahul), (Ravindra) Jadeja are there. Players have performed. How easy will it be to open up a slot for Dhruv Jurel at this stage, I wouldn’t know… But it depends on whom they want to send at No. 3 — whether they want to go with Sai Sudharsan, or bring in our in-form Dhruv in. We’ll find out,” Ganguly said.
The South Africa series will also mark the return of Pant, who has recovered from the foot fracture he sustained during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July.
Jurel, meanwhile, has been in red-hot form, scoring centuries in both innings against South Africa ‘A’ in the second unofficial Test that concluded in Bengaluru on Sunday. Ganguly tipped India as overwhelming favourites at home.
“Because India’s spin attack is very good. And this young team went to England three months ago and played exceptionally well. It was a fantastic series to watch — exceptional performances by Gill, Yashasvi (Jaiswal), Rahul, Pant. They’ve been exceptional. Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, Jadeja… India are a bundle of talent.
“South Africa, I know they’ve played well in Pakistan. But India in India are a different kettle of fish. They’ll have to play really, really well to compete with India,” Ganguly said.
The Test series will begin at Eden on November 14 and go on till November 18. Then the action will shift to Guwahati for the second Test which will start on November 22 and go on till November 26. After the two-Test series, the action shits to ODIs with the two teams facing each other in 3 matches.
The first ODI will take place in Ranchi on November 30, followed by the second match at Raipur on December 3. The third and final ODI match will take place on December 6 at Visakhapatnam.
The T20I series will begin in Cuttack on December 9, followed by the second match in New Chandigarh on December 11. The third match is scheduled for December 14 at Dharamsala and the 4th one will take place in Lucknow on December 17. The last and final match of the series will take place in Ahmedabad on December 19.
(With agency inputs)
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