Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Dhruv Jurel's match-winning performance in 4th Test vs England ft. Sachin Tendulkar
Dhruv Jurel's performance in the Ranchi Test against England was nothing short of remarkable. Playing in just his second Test match, the young wicketkeeper-batsman emerged as a hero, playing a crucial role in India's thrilling victory.
Jurel's first-inning knock of 90 runs was a display of exceptional grit and determination. Coming in at a precarious position with India at 177/7, he steadied the ship and played a crucial knock, stitching up a 76-run partnership with Kuldeep Yadav.
But it was Jurel's contribution in the second innings that truly sealed the deal for India. Chasing a modest target of 192 runs, India found themselves in a spot of bother, losing wickets at regular intervals.
With the score at 120/5, the pressure mounted, and the possibility of a series-leveling defeat loomed large. However, Jurel, along with fellow youngster Shubman Gill, displayed remarkable composure and maturity.
They stitched together a crucial 72-run partnership, defying the English bowlers and guiding India towards victory. Jurel remained unbeaten on 39 runs, his innings proving invaluable in calming the nerves and ensuring India crossed the finish line.
Jurel's match-winning performance in the 4th Test against England has sparked widespread acclaim from cricket experts around the globe.
As the cricketing world collectively applauds his exceptional contributions, let's delve into the top five expert reactions to Jurel's match-winning performance.
#5 RP Singh - "If Dhruv Jurel had gotten out early, we might have fallen way behind in this match."
Former Indian pacer RP Singh was a commentator during the Test match between India and England. After the match was finished, the left-armer was seen crediting Jurel's efforts and said that the side came back into the game due to him.
During a chat on Jio Cinema, Singh said:
"There are many stories in Test matches as there are a lot of ups and downs. If I have to pick one, in my opinion, it will be Dhruv Jurel's knock, the young talent who played a good 90-run knock."
He continued:
"You came back into the game because of that. If Dhruv Jurel had gotten out early, we might have fallen way behind in this match. So that knock was special. It came at the right time and our path to victory became slightly easier because of that."
Singh highlighted the importance of Jurel's knock in the first innings, where he bailed India out with his career-best 90 off 149 balls.
#4 Irfan Pathan - "In a series-defining Test, Jurel's standout display shone brightly"
Another former seamer and 2007 T20 World Cup winner for India, Irfan Pathan lauded the wicket-keeper batter.
After the India won the Ranchi Test, Pathan took to his X account and said that Jurel's standout performance truly shone brightly. In his tweet, Pathan said:
"In a series-defining Test, Jurel's standout display shone brightly. Admirable composure showcased in both innings. His calmness was shouting 'I can do this without much sweat'."
As Pathan mentioned, Jurel really showcased his calm demeanor and sailed India's ship without seeming under huge amount of pressure.
#3 Sir Alastair Cook - "He was so fast in making decisions"
Former Test cricket and England legend Sir Alastair Cook also heaped praise on Jurel. The former English skipper dissected the way Jurel approached his batting and felt that he made his decisions quicker, making Jurel outclass other batters.
Speaking on TNT Sports after the game, Cook opined his admiration towards Jurel's skills on a tough surface and said:
"What impressed me was how he picked length. He was so fast at making the right decision. You see his trigger movement – this was at the start of the partnership on a wide ball – but he’s so good at getting back and forward and making the right decision at the right time for that ball."
On Day 4 when the pitch was the hardest to bat on, Jurel made batting look easy as he stepped out often and negated the English spin attack quite admirably.
#2 Sachin Tendulkar
Inarguably the greatest batter of all time, Sachin Tendulkar was elated following India's superb five-wicket win in Ranchi. He let his intentions be known by writing on his X account and crediting all the players who did extremely well in the Test match.
Particularly, he even gave plaudits to Jurel for his stitching up a crucial partnership with Kuldeep Yadav in the first innings.
Reserving his special praise for the 23-year-old, Tendulkar wrote:
"@dhruvjurel21 [Dhruv Jurel's X account] was terrific at reading the length in both innings and his footwork was precise. His partnership with @imkuldeep18 [Kuldeep Yadav's X account] kept us in the game in the 1st innings, and his knock in the 2nd innings helped us sail home."
The stand between Jurel and Kuldeep was indeed a match-changing one for the hosts as it shrunk England's lead significantly. The two bide their time on the crease and showcased right application in their batting.
#1 Sunil Gavaskar
Another game's great in Sunil Gavaskar waxed lyrical about Jurel's performance in the fourth Test. During the commentary, Gavaskar heaped praise on the young wicketkeeper-batsman, even drawing comparisons to the iconic MS Dhoni.
By focusing on Jurel's game awareness, Gavaskar labeled Jurel as another "MS Dhoni in the making."
During the commentary, the former Indian batter uttered:
"Of course he has batted well, but his keeping, his work behind the stumps has been equally brilliant. Just by looking at his game awareness, I want to say that he is another MS Dhoni in the making. I know there can never be another MSD but you know the presence of mind that he has, MSD also when he started, it was that. And Jurel has that game awareness. Street-smart cricketer."
It's important to note that Gavaskar acknowledged the uniqueness of Dhoni and stated, "I know there can never be another MSD," but Jurel's qualities, particularly his presence of mind, reminded him of the legendary cricketer.