"All spots are basically taken...": Sourav Ganguly on Dhruv Jurel's chances in Test XI

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 10 (ANI): Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised team's wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel's form but admitted that it might be difficult to fit him into the current Test XI, given the team's settled batting line-up.

Jurel has made a strong case for selection in India's playing XI after he slammed back-to-back centuries against South Africa A in the second unofficial Test at Bengaluru. The South Africa series is scheduled to begin on November 14 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Speaking during the event about Jurel, Ganguly said, "He's playing well. I don't know what the selectors are thinking. The spots are basically taken with the two openers, then Shubman Gill at four, Pant at five, and KL Rahul is there and they've been playing well. Ravindra Jadeja is also there, so all the players have performed so far. How easy will it be to open up a slot for Dhruv Jurel at this stage? I won't know but it depends on what they want to go at number three, whether they want to go with Sai Sudarshan or probably bring in Dhruv Jurel. We'll find out."

Jurel's impressive form has presented the Indian team management with a tough selection decision ahead of the South Africa series, as Rishabh Pant's return from injury adds to the competition for spots. Jurel's consistent batting has made him a strong contender for a place in the playing XI as a specialist batter.

Jurel, in the first innings of the second unofficial Test against South Africa A, smashed an unbeaten 132 off 175 balls, smashing 12 fours and four sixes, followed by another century in the second innings, reaching the milestone off 159 balls.

Jurel had impressed earlier this year during the Test series against the West Indies, scoring 175 runs in three innings, including a hundred, at an average of 87.50. He was also the fourth-highest run scorer in the series and the only lower-order batter to feature in the top five list.

Since the Australia A tour of India in September earlier this year, Jurel has slammed 1,059 runs in nine matches, averaging over 81, with four centuries and six fifties in all of red-ball cricket. Jurel has amassed 430 runs in seven Tests, including a century and a fifty at an average of 47.77.

Ganguly was present at an event where Kabuni, a UK AI and sports technology pioneer, was launched in India.

Kabuni is an AI and large language model platform that learns from the game itself, drawing on decades of cricket data, player movement and coaching knowledge to deliver personalised, data-driven coaching. (ANI)

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