Dhruv Jurel's heroics with wicketkeeping gloves helped India A make a strong comeback against India B on Day 3 of the first-round match of the Duleep Trophy 2024 on Saturday. Jurel took five catches to play a crucial role in dismissing India B's top-order batters in the second innings and stole the limelight with another diving catch.
After catching an eye with a diving catch to dismiss Abhimanyu Easwaran in the first innings, the young wicketkeeper displayed acrobatic skills again in the second innings. Jurel produced a full-stretch effort diving left to his side to dismiss Musheer Khan on Avesh Khan's delivery.
After scoring a brilliant 181 in the first innings, Musheer lasted only six balls in the second innings. The young Mumbai batter tried to open his account hoping to drag Avesh Khan's good length delivery down the fine leg but a thick edge found the gloves of Jurel who made his effort look easy.
Meanwhile, India B also lost openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran early in the first eight overs with Dhruv Jurel taking two easy catches.
India B managed to find momentum through Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan's brilliant partnership for the fourth wicket. The duo added 72 runs for the fourth wicket to put India B on a track for a big lead stretching past 200.
Avesh Khan gave India B a breakthrough with Sararaz Khan's wicket in the 18th over with Dhruv Jurel taking another good catch. Rishabh also departed after scoring his 20th First-Class fifty but India B managed to take a healthy lead.
Jurel ended Day 3's play at M Chinnaswamy Stadium with his fifth catch of the innings and another good effort to dismiss Nitish Reddy on Khaleel Ahmed's delivery. India B took a 240-run lead after scoring 150 for six in 31.3 overs at the end of the day's play in Bengaluru.
The 23-year-old Jurel broke into the Indian team with a successful Test debut against England earlier this year. He scored 190 runs in four innings and also impressed with his wicketkeeping skills against England but is likely to lose his wicketkeeping gloves to Rishabh Pant in the upcoming home Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
