The home Tests against England in early 2024 were signs enough to prove Dhruv Jurel’s ability at the highest level. A year-and-a-half since then, he appears sharper and better, especially in terms of his batting.

Despite his vital contributions in those England matches, Jurel knew he would be benched once Rishabh Pant returned post his accident-forced break. However, his consistent showing in first-class cricket bagged him a berth on the tour of Australia last season. Now, his rich run of form lately in his red-ball appearances so far enables the keeper-batter from Uttar Pradesh to stake a claim for a spot in the XI in the two-Test series against South Africa, beginning at Eden Gardens on Friday.

Obviously, the fit-again Pant will continue to be India’s first-choice keeper-batter in this Test series, but the team management can slot Jurel as a specialist batter in the XI. Forcing Jurel to remain as Pant’s understudy may go on to have an adverse effect on his game going forward.

Importantly, he has the numbers that back him up. Being named Player of the Series in the just-concluded India A-South Africa A multi-day series at the BCCI Centre of Excellence ground in Bengaluru — where he hit an unbeaten 132 and 127 not out batting in the middle order — is a culmination of his consistency in the red-ball format.

The 24-year-old had a 125 in the preceding Test series against the West Indies in Ahmedabad last month. In September, against Australia A in Lucknow, he hit a 140 and followed it up with a 56 in the second innings of the next four-day game.

Even during the England tour this year, Jurel scored three successive half-centuries (94, 53 not out and 52) against England Lions before scoring a critical 34 and featuring in a crucial seventh-wicket partnership of 50 with Ravindra Jadeja in the second innings of The Oval Test. That was Jurel’s first Test on English soil, after Pant was ruled out with a foot injury, and his second overseas, following the Perth game in November 2024.

In that Perth Test, Jurel had played as a specialist batsman with Pant donning the keeper’s gloves.

In the series opener against the Proteas at the Eden, it will be a fair call if India draft Jurel in as a replacement for all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy or Sai Sudharsan, who hasn’t really come up with anything sensational batting at No.3. Besides, with Nitish just having recovered from a quadriceps injury and having last played over a fortnight ago, it would be wiser to pick someone who has the required momentum.

Some in the BCCI do feel that Jurel should be inducted into the XI and played as a specialist batter against the Proteas, given the “confidence boost” he has had following the tours of Australia and England.

Hard yards

Before the game against South Africa A, Jurel underwent a few nets sessions with the red ball under the supervision of his personal coach Phoolchand Sharma at the latter’s academy in Noida. “On the first day, he went through a bit of knocking and the next day, he batted for over three hours, not losing his concentration one bit. These are the aspects that help him deliver,” Phoolchand said.

His mental strength aside, playing the ball late is also one feature of Jurel’s batting, his coach stated. “In these conditions, you’ll do well if you play the ball late. That’s what Dhruv looks to do, and it’s paying him dividends.”

Shifting gears when required is also a vital part of Jurel’s game. Precisely, he’s a kind of player who provides some much-needed stability to the batting order. And against a strong Proteas bowling attack, a solid, stable batter at No. 6 or 7 should give the Indian batting order a little more cushion.

But then, does the Indian team management think on the same lines?