Sourav Ganguly believes it will be a toss-up between Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel for the No. 3 place in India’s batting order in the two-match Test series against South Africa. The first Test will be contested at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from November 14 to November 18.
Jurel has been in sparkling form recently in red ball cricket.
He scored hundreds in both innings of India’s second unofficial Test against South Africa A in Bengaluru last week. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 132* and 127*.
While Rishabh Pant has returned from injury and is poised to take wicketkeeping duties against South Africa, Jurel’s outstanding performance may persuade the team management to include him in the starting XI as a specialist batter.
“He’s playing well, isn’t he? Rishabh is back and I don’t know what the selectors are thinking. Basically, the spots are taken — two openers, (Shubman) Gill at 4, Pant at 5, KL (Rahul), (Ravindra) Jadeja are there. Players have performed. How easy will it be to open up a slot for Dhruv Jurel at this stage, I wouldn’t know But it depends on whom they want to send at No. 3 — whether they want to go with Sai Sudharsan, or bring in our in-form Dhruv in. We’ll find out,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by India Today.
They [South Africa] will have to play really well to compete with India: Sourav Ganguly
Ganguly praised the Indian team for their performance against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy earlier this year. The former India captain and the current president of the Cricket Association of Bengal said that South Africa will have to play really good cricket to give India a run for their money.
“Because India’s spin attack is very good. And this young team went to England three months ago and played exceptionally well. It was a fantastic series to watch — exceptional performances by Gill, Yashasvi (Jaiswal), Rahul, Pant. They’ve been exceptional. Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, Jadeja India are a bundle of talent.
“South Africa, I know they’ve played well in Pakistan. But India in India are a different kettle of fish. They’ll have to play really, really well to compete with India,” Ganguly said.
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