On Dhoni Comparisons, Ganguly's "Different League" Reminder To India Star

Young India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has played just two Tests, but he has been already compared to the legendary MS Dhoni by several former cricketers. Former India batter Sunil Gavaskar labelled Jurel as the next Dhoni, while ex-spinner Anil Kumble feels the yougster has all the tools to become as good as the former India captain. Jurel scored a match-winning 90 in the first innings of the 4th Test against England and also hit an unbeaten 39 in the second innings to help India get the win.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly too pointed similarities between Jurel and Dhoni, but refrained himself from comparing the youngster with Dhoni, who according to him is in “different league”.

“Dhruv Jurel… what a Test match he had under pressure on a difficult wicket. There is huge talent and if you miss you and you go back down in the ladder, it will be very hard to come back. MS Dhoni is in a different league. Jurel has talent; there’s no doubt about it. But it took MS Dhoni 20 years to be MS Dhoni. Rather 15 years for Dhoni to be Dhoni. So let him [Jurel] play. Jurel’s ability to play spin, pace and most importantly to perform under pressure. That’s what you look for in a youngster,” Ganguly told RevSportz.

Jurel marked his debut in Rajkot’s third Test with a first-innings 46 to give a glimpse of his promise.

Jurel then displayed nerves of steel to rescue India from trouble twice in the fourth Test in Ranchi.

The 23-year-old faced a hat-trick ball when he joined Shubman Gill at 120-5 chasing 192 but calmly blunted England’s spinners to guide his side to a five-wicket triumph that showed “composure and maturity”, said captain Rohit Sharma.

India will hope that Jurel can continue his prowess when they take on England in the fifth and final Test, with the series already in the bag.

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will return for the final Test against England after missing the team’s series-clinching win in the fourth match, the country’s cricket board said Thursday.

Bumrah was rested in the previous Test, which India won by five wickets in Ranchi to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

KL Rahul, on the other hand, will miss out again after he was forced out of the previous three due to a quad injury he picked up in the opener.

(With AFP Inputs)