Dhruv Jurel, who debuted for the Indian team in the third test of the ongoing series against England, is touted as one of the promising prospects for the future of the Indian cricket team. His all-round ability as a wicket-keeper batter makes him an even higher contender to fill the void created after the retirement of legendary keeper-batter MS Dhoni.
After the Jharkhand veteran, no one has been able to put on the shoes of Dhoni, with the Indian team continuing to audition for the role of an all-format keeper batter in the team. The likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, Ishan Kishan, and Sanju Samson have come to the fore, but only Pant has been able to click the needs of the Indian team, albeit in test format only.
With the Indian test team coping with the absence of regular wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant, the addition of Dhruv Jurel to the squad implies the belief the team has in the young player. After KS Bharat’s dismal show as a batter, Jurel got an opportunity to prove his mettle in Test cricket.
The 23-year-old Agra cricketer showed his prowess in the IPL 2023 for Rajasthan Royals as a finisher following which, the comparisons were drawn between him and his idol MS Dhoni. In an interview, he said, “If I’m even five per cent of MS Dhoni, I will be more than happy.”
However, his numbers tell a different story. The young batters work almost in a similar way, as the MS used to do. Let’s take a look at the 3 reasons which states why Dhruv Jurel can be the next MS Dhoni:
All-format consistency:
With Jurel yet to conquer the cricketing world at the highest level, his numbers in a domestic circuit are more than impressive. Averaging around 47-48 in first-class and list-A cricket, Jurel exploded into the spotlight with his blitzkrieg in the world’s toughest league, IPL.
Striking at over 170, he showcased his potential as an all-format player for India in the future. MS Dhoni, had similar numbers, averaging near 40 in Tests and 50 in one-day format. His T20 numbers are identical with a strike rate of more than 180 in death overs.
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The Finishing splurge:
While there is no denying the greatness of MS Dhoni as a finisher, the U.P. batter has donned the hat of a finisher in the limited-overs circuit. Jhurel’s ability in the finishing moments was evident from his exploits in the IPL. If he continues to do so in the upcoming IPL season, there is a possibility he will be doing the same wearing a blue jersey shortly.
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Reliable behind the stumps:
MS Dhoni, throughout his career, has been a synonym for the wonder behind the wickets. Similarly, Dhruv Jurel too has shown his pyro-techniques as a wicket-keeper for his state team, Uttar Pradesh. In his 15 first-class matches, Jurel already has 34 catches and two stumpings. While taking forward MS Dhoni’s legacy is a big task to accomplish, Dhruv Jurel, in a short span of his career, has shown immense factors that say that he can be the next Dhoni.
