Rishabh Pant Set To Drop Gloves In Manchester; Dhruv Jurel Likely To Play As Specialist Keeper

July 21,2025
Blogs

Rishabh Pant (left) and Dhruv Jurel are at the centre of attention ahead of the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford, Manchester.

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When Dhruv Jurel made his India debut in February 2024 against England, Rishabh Pant was still recovering from multiple surgeries following his car accident. There was still uncertainty over whether the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter would be able to make a comeback. Amid this uncertainty, Team India tried out two wicketkeepers – Srikar Bharat and Jurel. Of the five Tests in that home series against England, Jurel went on to play three. He impressed, scoring 90 in the Ranchi Test while also effecting six stumpings and two catches in the series. His temperament stood out.
But since Pant returned to the fold of Indian cricket in September last year, Jurel had to sit out. He did not play until the Perth Test against Australia in November, when India needed a specialist batter to counter the hosts' bowling attack, as Pant kept the wickets.
Eight months later, a situation akin to the Perth Test arose - but with a twist. Pant, the first-choice wicketkeeper, is currently nursing a finger injury sustained in the third Test at Lord's. Pant had walked off the field on Day 1 of the Test after taking a blow on his left index finger while attempting a diving stop. He did not return to keep wickets again in the Test. India had to call up Jurel for the specialist role, while Pant batted in both innings.
The physio of the team, Kamlesh Jain, is fighting tooth and nail to make Pant fit. But due to the extent of his injury and time constraints - the fourth Test starting July 23, the Indian team management found itself in a fix.
India cannot afford to rest Pant either. His ability to bat in England in the middle order is crucial for India. The southpaw has already scored two hundreds in the Leeds Test. He has also scored half-centuries in Edgbaston and Lord's. Given his credentials as a batter, India would not want to leave him out.
India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate indicated that if Pant cannot recover on time and keep wickets, India could consider Jurel. In that case, Pant would play as a specialist batter. Jurel, a steady middle-order batter himself and known for his temperament, would not only add depth to the batting line-up but also solve India’s wicketkeeping problem.
However, this causes a selection dilemma for India, as they may have to drop a specialist batter to keep the bowling attack sharp.
"We don't want to go through that again where we have to replace the keeper halfway through the innings. We are just trying to give (Pant's finger) as long as possible to heal and hopefully he is good to go in Manchester in the first training session," Doeschate said.
There is another concern as well. In the Lord's Test, after Jurel came in to keep wickets as a substitute for Pant, India conceded 25 byes in England's second innings. Ironically, India lost the Lord's Test by 22 runs. Jurel, who was keeping wickets in England for the first time, found it difficult to adapt, as the ball wobbles a lot once it gets past the batter.