MUMBAI: You will always play second fiddle in any age where you are competing for the same position as a once-in-a-generation cricketer. Dhruv Jurel is now in the unenviable position of being Rishabh Pant's contemporary in the current India Test squad.

Pant is protected on the side due to his remarkable accomplishments, as evidenced by his elevation to the position of vice-captain. The best way for other Indian keeper-batters to establish a Test career alongside Pant is to excel as a genuine batter. And that's precisely what Jurel is attempting to accomplish.

If the India The Uttar Pradesh middle-order batsman will be considered for a position in the playing eleven, even if he's primarily a batter, since the matches against the England Lions are viewed as a selection trial for the England Test series. In the first unofficial test at Canterbury, he remained undefeated with scores of 94 and 53.

The strong performance was supported by a stunning 52 in the opening innings of the second match in Northampton. Coming from India, particularly after a protracted IPL game, it would take some time to adjust to the weather in England.

Jurel has demonstrated an outstanding all-around game, a rare talent in a batter that allows him to adjust to any situation. In all three innings, he played with ease, scoring his runs quickly. He kept the bat close to his body, met the ball under his eye, and put away any ball, which gave him room to cut or drive for boundaries if the pitch was fuller. With 11 fours and a six, his 94 came off in only 120 balls. On Friday, he scored his 52 off 87 balls with seven fours, while the 53 was at run-a-ball.

Each nation and ground in cricket presents a unique challenge in terms of the playing surface and circumstances. Dealing with the moving ball is the focus in England, while playing spin well is the emphasis in the subcontinent. There's more pace and bounce to contend with in Australia. A decent batter can adjust to any game situation, and Jurel has excelled at this.

Jurel, who is 24 years old, has a lot of promise.

He demonstrated his temperament and skills in his first series against England, which took place in early 2024 at home, where he produced a number of crucial b

With Pant out due to the car accident, he seized the opportunity to make an instant impact as KS Bharat's replacement by calmly scoring 46 off 104 balls in his first game at Rajkot. He had an impact on the team's chances every time he walked up to bat. In his second Test, which was held at Ranchi, he saved India from a score of 177/7 by hitting a crucial 90, bringing the total to 307. He came back in the second innings to lead a difficult chase with an undefeated 39 and win the Player of the Match title. Since then, he has made few mistakes.

Playing on Australian fields requires a different sort of adaptation than playing in England, where the focus is on facing the moving ball.

Jurel made his impact on his debut trip to Australia in November of last year. The Melbourne Cricket Ground's pitch for India A's second match against Australia A was excessively spicy for any batsman from the subcontinent, and even KL Rahul had trouble. Jurel scored the most runs in both innings—80 out of a total of 161 and 68 out of 229—playing as if he were on a different pitch.

The Indian squad management was so impressed that they chose him as a batter for the opening test in Perth, with Pant in charge of keeping wicket. Jurel had a bad Test, scoring 11 and 1, and he was the victim when captain Rohit Sharma joined for the second Test. The youngster struggled to get even one game, but the rivalry for positions was fierce.

India is searching for batting alternatives now that Rohit and Virat Kohli have retired. The challenging five-Test series in England, which begins on June 20 in Leeds, marks the beginning of the Test team's transition. The team's management may make any decision, but it is fortunate that they have a player in Jurel who can handle those circumstances.

Frequently, the team is forced to remain with the same lineup because there is no available player. Jurel provides an additional alternative for batting. In transition, the Indian Test squad has a significant advantage from his outstanding beginning to the England tour.

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