Dhruv Jurel closing in on Rishabh Pant's Test spot
The young wicketkeeper-batter has become Pant's permanent backup and is steadily narrowing the gap in performance.
Dhruv Jurel has quietly established himself as Rishabh Pant's understudy in India's Test squad, featuring as the second wicketkeeper in every recent tour. With each opportunity, he has shown improvement behind the stumps and with the bat, fueling speculation about a potential change in the starting XI.
A comparison of their first 10 Tests reveals Pant still holds a clear edge. Pant scored 727 runs at an average of 45.44, including a century and two half-centuries. Jurel has 478 runs at 34.14, with one century and one fifty. While the gap is significant, Jurel's rapid progress suggests he could challenge Pant sooner than anticipated.