KS Bharat vs Dhruv Jurel - who should keep wickets in first 2 Tests vs England?
The merry-go-around as far as Indian Test wicketkeepers go after Rishabh Pant's unfortunate injury in December 2022 continues ahead of the Test series against England.
To further accentuate matters, the selection of three wicketkeeping options in the 16-member squad picked for the first two Tests puzzled experts and fans alike. However, the latest reports of KL Rahul featuring only as a specialist batter has made it a two-way battle for wicketkeeping duties between KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel.
Rahul kept wickets for India in the recent South Africa series, with Ishan Kishan opting out on a self-requested break. However, the veteran cricketer returned from injury only last year, and as an all-format player, the management's decision of Rahul not continuing as the Test keeper is justifiable.
Yet, the call for gloveman between Bharat and Jurel isn't as straightforward, with varying factors tilting the pendulum in each direction. The decision could go a long way in helping India maintain their proud unbeaten home Test series streak since 2012/13.
Here is a breakdown of the finer aspects between the duo that could decide who should keep wickets in the opening two England Tests.
First-class and International experience favor KS Bharat
The resolution for any selection dilemma stems from the parameters the think tank prioritizes, with experience often at the forefront.
KS Bharat has a considerable advantage over Dhruv Jurel at the first-class and international level in red-ball games. While the 22-year-old Jurel recently made his first-class debut in 2022, Bharat is a seasoned veteran of over a decade in the Indian domestic circuit.
The 30-year-old has played an incredible 93 first-class games for Andhra and five Tests for India. Another tick for Bharat is his vast experience keeping against quality spinners, the turning ball on spin-friendly pitches.
Four of his five Tests came in the home Border Gavaskar series last year when the pitches turned square often from ball one and India featuring three world-class spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.
After a slow start to the series, Bharat impressed with his wicket-keeping skills and already boasts 13 dismissals in his five-Test career.
Meanwhile, Jurel has only 15 first-class outings to his name, and his limited experience behind the stumps on pitches that test a keeper's skills to the umpteenth level could see him miss out against England.
Dhruv Jurel could be a better fit in terms of batting position and numbers
Dhruv Jurel should walk into the side if the selection is numbers-based and done on being a better fit for the position.
Despite playing only 15 red-ball domestic games to KS Bharat's 93, the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer has considerably better batting numbers. Jurel averages 46.47 in first-class cricket with a century and five half-centuries in only 19 innings.
Meanwhile, Bharat averages 36.47 in his first-class career, which could tilt the nod in favor of the younger gloveman. Added to the numbers is the difference in batting tempo of the duo, with Jurel potentially suited to Team India's requirement at No.6.
Although capable of accelerating, Bharat is more of a grinder, while Jurel tends to take on the bowling with a greater deal of regularity. It is evidenced by the former's List-A and T20 strike rates of 79.17 and 110.85 and the latter striking at 92.19 and 137.07, respectively, despite the strike rate numbers being identical in domestic red-ball cricket.
A Test average of under 19 in his five outings also doesn't help Bharat's cause, even though he played all the games against the mighty Australians on bowler-friendly wickets.
Hierarchy vs Recency could be the deciding factor
Hierarchy is an unwritten rule often followed by teams for making difficult selection decisions. Should that be the case for the opening England Tests, KS Bharat should get the nod ahead of the debutant Dhruv Jurel, having performed the hard yards.
For all his first-class experience and credentials, Bharat deserves a longer rope than only five Tests, especially factoring in the pitches of the games he played. Yet, selection based on recency forms the other side of the coin.
In that case, Jurel marches ahead, thanks to his impressive 69 in the latest India A fixture in South Africa. While the pair each failed to leave a mark in the first Test of the India A-South Africa A contest, Bharat's absence and Jurel's half-century in the second outing could be a crucial pointer in selection.
Jurel also had an incredible Ranji Trophy season last year, scoring 429 runs at an average of 71.50 in six games. Meanwhile, Bharat averaged only 41 in his three outings.
However, it is interesting that Bharat kept wickets in the first Test against South Africa-A when both the wicket-keepers played.
The parameter the team management believes to be of utmost importance, considering the opposition, pitch, and other factors mentioned above, could eventually sway the Bharat-Jurel battle one way or the other.