Dhruv Jurel's impressive 90-run knock on Day 3 of the fourth Test against England saw explosive batter Rinku Singh posting a heartfelt post for the India's promising young wicketkeeper-batsman.
Jurel marked his Test debut during the third match of the India versus England series, showcasing exceptional batting talent by scoring 46 runs off 104 deliveries. His performance in the third match was commendable, and he further impressed by scoring a fighting 90 runs from 149 balls in the fourth Test at the JSCA Stadium. Facing a challenging situation at 171/6 and having lost key players like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal against England's first innings total of 353, Jurel stood firm. He contributed significantly with a partnership of 76 runs off 202 balls for the seventh wicket, aiding India in amassing a total of 307 runs.
Rinku Singh's heartfeld post for Dhruv Jurel
Meanwhile, Rinku, in a post on Instagram, wrote:
“mere bhai, sapne saakaar karne ka samay aa gaya hai (My brother, it’s time to make dreams come true)”.
Rinku Singh has made a significant impact in the T20I format for India, earning his place in the ‘Men in Blue’ following his impressive performance in the 2023 Indian Premier League. As a left-handed batter, he seamlessly took on the finisher's role for the Kolkata Knight Riders, amassing 474 runs across 14 matches with a strike rate of 149.53. In his T20I career for India, he has scored 356 runs at an impressive average of 89.00 from 15 matches, including two half-centuries, demonstrating his ability to take on the bowlers from the outset.
Dhruv Jurel, on his part, made headlines with his performances for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2023, especially batting at the fifth and sixth positions, where he scored 152 runs from 13 games at a strike rate of 172.73.
Dhruv Jurel's heroics in Ranchi Test
Shifting focus to the India versus England fourth Test match, India concluded their first innings at 307 runs, responding to England's 353. Jurel fell short of a well-deserved century by just 10 runs but was celebrated with a standing ovation from the JSCA Stadium audience and his teammates.
England faced early setbacks in their innings, losing their first wicket at just 19 runs when Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Ben Duckett for 15 runs. Ashwin continued to trouble the English batting lineup, claiming Ollie Pope for a golden duck and sending Joe Root back to the pavilion for 11 runs off 34 balls. Root, having scored a century in the first innings with an unbeaten 122 runs, was a significant wicket for India.
The visiting team aims to post a substantial total and pressure India in the final two days. Given the pitch's increasing assistance to spinners towards the end of the match, it will pose a challenge for Rohit Sharma's squad to pursue any target set in the second innings. Additionally, the Indian batsmen have found it difficult to handle the English spin attack, experiencing a significant falloff in the series opener.
Holding a 2-1 series lead, the intrigue surrounding the fourth Test escalates, promising an engaging contest for viewers.
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