Dhruv Jurel to replace KS Bharat in Rajkot

Debuting in the 2023 Gavaskar Trophy, the Andhra keeper is yet to score a fifty in senior cricket with an average of 20.09.

The Indian cricket team will make a change to their playing XI for the third Test in Rajkot on 15 February. Dhruv Jurel will replace KS Bharat. Bharat has not been able to replicate his senior form with the bat, although he was in decent form on the India A tour of England.

Bharat has yet to fulfil his potential as a batsman, despite his excellent glove-keeping skills. The Andhra keeper made his debut in the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy but is yet to score a half-century in senior matches and has an average of 20.09.

Even on his home ground, Bharat was unable to make a significant contribution with the bat, scoring just 17 and 6 in the first and second innings of the Visakhapatnam Test. With Jurel waiting in the wings, the team management seems to have run out of patience with Bharat. He is reportedly set to be dropped.

Bharat's batting and 'keeping have not met expectations, while Jurel has shown promise with his talent, positive attitude, and successful performances for Uttar Pradesh, India A, and the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. According to a source from TOI, Jurel may even make his Test debut at Rajkot.

With Rishabh Pant struggling with fitness and Ishan Kishan unavailable, Jurel may have the opportunity to secure his place in the Test team.

According to reports, Kishan is currently training with the Pandya brothers in Baroda, and the BCCI will assess his fitness before making a decision.

In the coming days, the BCCI will communicate with all players to participate in the Ranji Trophy for their respective state teams, provided they are not on national duty. Only those who are unfit and recovering at the NCA will be exempted. According to a source, the Board is unhappy with some players who are already in IPL mode since January.

India Squad for the remainder of the series: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul*, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, KS Bharat, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep.
* Subject to fitness.