By Shamik Chakrabarty in Mumbai
The Indian team management is seriously considering playing Dhruv Jurel in the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens starting on Friday, it is learnt. If Jurel features in the playing XI, he will play as a specialist batsman, while a fit-again Rishabh Pant will take over wicketkeeping duties.
It’s unlikely that India will sacrifice Sai Sudharsan to accommodate Jurel. The southpaw is viewed as a long-term investment at No. 3 and will retain his place. Jurel, if selected, is expected to replace Nitish Kumar Reddy. The latter featured in the two Tests against the West Indies, and with Pant ruled out of that series, Jurel served as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman. The 24-year-old scored his maiden Test hundred in Ahmedabad, and his stroke play square of the wicket was one of the highlights of the game.
His wicketkeeping, too, was top-class on a green pitch that assisted seam movement. Jurel is now fresh from scoring centuries in both innings against South Africa A in the second multi-day game at the Centre of Excellence in Bangalore, and there’s a school of thought that he deserves to be in the playing XI in Kolkata purely as a batsman on the strength of his recent performances.
As for Sai, after getting out cheaply in the first Test against the West Indies, he scored an attractive 87 in the first innings of the second Test in Delhi. The Tamil Nadu batsman is far from a finished article at the highest level, but the team management has decided to back him with an eye on the future, and Sai is expected to be given enough opportunities to bed in at No. 3.
As for Reddy, at the post-match press conference after the Delhi Test, head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke about the team’s plan to groom the 22-year-old as a genuine all-rounder in red-ball cricket. However, over the two Tests, he bowled only four overs. Then, during India’s white-ball tour of Australia, Reddy sustained a left quadriceps injury in the second ODI in Adelaide. He hasn’t played cricket since.
‘Sporting’ pitch
According to a source, a ‘sporting’ pitch is being prepared for the first Test against South Africa, and no instruction has yet come from the Indian team to prepare a rank turner. After the ‘Bunsen-backfire’ (a 3-0 whitewash) in the home series against New Zealand last year, the hosts are wary of playing on square turners. In Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy, the world Test champions boast a quality spin attack.
“It will be a sporting pitch,” said the source. “There will be help for the fast bowlers, the ball will come on to the bat, allowing the batsmen to play their shots, and from Day 4 onwards, there will be assistance for the spinners as well.”
India, in all likelihood, will go with three specialist fast bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar are expected to be the two spin-bowling all-rounders.
This is the onset of winter in Kolkata, and there will be nip in the air. The conditions might not be conducive to playing a third spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, to be precise.
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