Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has heaped praise on young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, calling him a “future mainstay” in India’s Test setup. However, Ashwin also admitted that Jurel’s path to becoming a regular starter remains blocked by the return of star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Jurel, who stepped up impressively in Pant’s absence, was one of India’s standout performers in the first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad, scoring a sublime 125 off 210 balls—his maiden Test century.
Ahead of the second Test in Delhi, Ravichandran Ashwin recalled Jurel’s match-defining innings against England in Ranchi last year, where his calm and technical assurance under pressure drew admiration from all quarters. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the veteran off-spinner expressed complete faith in Jurel’s abilities.
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“I don’t doubt Dhruv Jurel’s class, because the way he played against England in Ranchi proved he deserves to play the next ten Test matches,” Ravichandran Ashwin said. “But with Rishabh Pant back in the mix, it’s tough for Jurel to find a place. Still, his talent and temperament make him a lock as India’s second wicketkeeper.”
Ashwin further predicted that Jurel could even find a role in the future purely as a specialist batter. “At some point, Jurel’s batting quality will be too good to ignore. I can easily see him being picked as a pure batsman in the Indian side,” he added.
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Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal got solid starts, KL Rahul continued his red-hot form with three centuries in six Tests, and captain Shubman Gill contributed a composed half-century. Despite centuries from Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja, Sai Sudharsan’s struggles have become a concern.
With India’s young core thriving under Gill’s leadership, the contrast between the confident Indian camp and a disoriented West Indies side reflects not just skill, but belief and direction.
