Dhruv Jurel scored unbeaten centuries in 2 consecutive innings (Photo: PTI)
The Test series between India and South Africa is starting from 14th November at Eden Gardens, Kolkata and about 48 hours before this Test, a big announcement has been made regarding the playing-11 of Team India. All the expectations and claims seem to be proving true because young wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel, who is in excellent form, will get a place in the playing-11 of the Indian team for the Kolkata Test match. Team India’s assistant coach Ryan Tendeshkate announced this two days before the match.
Assistant coach Tendeshkate made this revelation regarding the playing-11 in the press conference before the second practice session of Team India on Wednesday 12th November at the Eden Gardens Stadium. On the question of playing Dhruv Jurel, the assistant coach said, “I think we have a good idea of the combination (playing-11). The way Dhruv Jurel has played in the last 6 months and he scored two centuries in Bengaluru last week. It is certain that he will play this week.”
However, Jurel will not play as a wicketkeeper because Team India’s star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is returning from this series. In such a situation, only Pant will fulfill this responsibility and some other player will have to make room for Jurel. TendeshKate also revealed this and said that young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy may have to sit out. Earlier, Nitish was a part of the Test series against West Indies but he did not get many opportunities there.
Deshkate mentioned the recent Australia tour, where Reddy could not play a single match due to injury. He said, “The first thing is to make a winning strategy. There is no change in our thinking regarding Nitish. He did not get much opportunity in Australia. But I would say that considering the importance of the series and the kind of conditions we will get here, Nitish can sit out this Test.”
Jurel made his Test debut for Team India last year and impressed a lot. After this, recently he took up the responsibility of wicketkeeping in Pant’s absence against West Indies and scored 175 runs in 3 innings of the series, which also included his first Test century. Then recently, Jurel scored centuries in both the innings against South Africa A.