India win series vs England: Suresh Raina lauds Dhruv Jurel, says Army upbringing gives him fearless attitude
In the fourth Test against England, Jurel exhibited exceptional batting prowess by scoring an outstanding 90 in the first innings. Furthermore, on a challenging day-four pitch in Ranchi, he displayed immense determination, contributing an unbeaten 39 runs.
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FollowFormer cricketer Suresh Raina believes that India's wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel's upbringing in the Army instilled in him a "fearless attitude" on the field. Raina also noted that the young player's dedication and hard work have been instrumental in reaching his current level of performance.
In the fourth Test against England, Jurel exhibited exceptional batting prowess by scoring an outstanding 90 in the first innings. Furthermore, on a challenging day-four pitch in Ranchi, he displayed immense determination, contributing an unbeaten 39 runs. His remarkable performance played a crucial role in India's five-wicket victory, securing an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series on Monday.
"I was impressed with his (Jurel's) wicket-keeping, he has worked really hard. He comes from an Army family, so he has that fearless attitude of never wanting to lose anything from anywhere," said Raina about the 23-year-old Uttar Pradesh player who made his India debut in the third Test at Rajkot, scoring 46.
Jurel's impressive innings of 90 in Ranchi garnered praise from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, who hailed him as the next Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
"He's (Jurel) been amazing, I have played a couple of matches with him for Uttar Pradesh. Special credit to Rohit Sharma, the way he gave chances to first Sarfaraz (Khan) and Dhruv Jurel. It is not easy to come into Test cricket and score back-to-back fifties, especially in a crucial Test match where the wicket was turning," said Raina, who played 18 Tests, on the sidelines of the Indian Veteran Premier league (IVPL).
Sarfaraz achieved back-to-back half-centuries on his Test debut during the third Test at Rajkot.
Raina, a former key player for the Chennai Super Kings, expressed his desire for Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bangalore to overcome the IPL jinx and clinch the trophy this season.
"I wish Virat Kohli and RCB lift the trophy. It is long overdue now, CSK won it last season too but this year I hope that the team who has never lifted the trophy should finally add one to their trophy cabinet. Virat has worked really hard and I think he deserves to win this time," said Raina.
The 37-year-old ex-India cricketer also emphasized that Kohli should feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA. He highlighted the importance of having someone in the middle to absorb pressure, which is crucial for the team's success.
"A blend of youth and experience will be key for India's success in the Americas. Youth and experience is really important because I played in the Caribbean in the 2010 edition, to bat on those wickets is not easy. You need someone to control the innings, he (Kohli) is the chase-master and knows how to handle pressure. Now we have players like (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, (Shubman) Gill, Surya (Yadav) and Rinku Singh who can back him and play fearless cricket from other end," he said.
Raina also commended Sameer Rizvi, who scored a triple hundred in UP's clash against Saurashtra in the CK Nayudu trophy on Monday, and expressed his confidence in Rizvi's ability to perform well for CSK in the upcoming IPL season.
"He is a very good player and if CSK invests in a player, we know how they work wonders with them. I have witnessed it since 2008, whether it is any Indian player or any foreigner. They (CSK) always give chances to youngsters, when MS Dhoni is there then he will help him improve his game."
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