Former Indian cricketer Sadagoppan Ramesh believes Dhruv Jurel has made a strong case for himself in India’s Test setup, not just as a wicketkeeper, but also as a specialist batter. His century against the West Indies has put selectors and team management, including head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill, in a tricky situation over the batting order.
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Jurel replaced Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from a fractured toe, during the Test series against West Indies in October. The young batter seized the opportunity, scoring a brilliant 125 runs and finishing as India’s top scorer in the innings victory. His confident performance has now opened up new possibilities for team selection once Pant returns.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramesh said that Jurel’s performance has shown maturity and readiness for bigger challenges, even if the West Indies attack was not at its strongest. “He played a superb knock under pressure. Competing with someone like Rishabh Pant is never easy, but he proved he can handle that level,” Ramesh noted.
Ramesh suggested that Jurel could even be a contender for a batting spot at No. 3, currently held by B Sai Sudharsan, or possibly challenge Nitish Kumar Reddy in the middle order. “With that century, he’s made it clear that the competition isn’t between him and Pant anymore. He’s now an option purely as a batter — maybe at No. 3 if Sai Sudharsan doesn’t score or in Reddy’s place,” Ramesh added.
While Jurel continues to impress, Sai Sudharsan’s struggles in red-ball cricket remain a concern. The left-hander scored just 7 runs in the last innings and has managed only 147 runs across four Tests so far, averaging 21. His poor form against spin has raised questions about his place in the side.
On the other hand, Rishabh Pant is expected to make his comeback later in October, likely featuring for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy before rejoining the national team. His return could create further selection dilemmas for Gambhir and Gill, especially with Jurel pushing for a place as a specialist batter.
Jurel’s emergence has brought fresh energy and competition to India’s batting unit — a healthy sign as the team continues to build depth ahead of future series.