Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill counter 'Bazball' to clinch Test series for India in Ranchi

26.02.2024 - 15:53 thenationalnews.com

A young wicketkeeper batsman playing just his second match showed that there is still room for old-fashioned gritty batting in Test cricket as India held their nerves to seal a five-wicket win in the fourth Test against England in Ranchi, to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.

Dhruv Jurel (39 not out off 77 balls) calmed the nerves of a tense Indian dressing room as he added 72 runs for the sixth wicket with Shubman Gill (52 not out off 124) to help chase down 192.

Jurel is just 23 but the composure he showed in both innings was singularly responsible for keeping India's batting together; his 90 in the first innings rescuing India from 177-7 to 307 before taking the hosts to victory from a precarious 120-5 in the final innings.

He was named player of the match, beating stiff competition from Joe Root who hit a sublime first-innings ton and Ravichandran Ashwin who turned the match on its head with a five-wicket haul in the second innings that restricted England to just 145.

Ben Stokes India Cricket Joe Root Ravichandran Ashwin England Cricket India

Indian cricket team batter Shubman Gill enjoyed a brilliant run of form in the recently concluded five-match Test series against England with two crucial centuries. It was a great outing for the youngster who faced a lot of criticism since replacing Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3. It was a new challenge for Gill as he mainly opened the batting for India in other formats and he did not score a lot of runs in the beginning. However, he proved his mettle against England and his knocks were crucial in clinching the series victory. While his batting has been praised a lot by experts and fans alike, Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out another key role where he replaced Virat Kohli and have shown brilliant promise.

"Bazball, Batti Gull": Ex-India Star's Dig At Ben Stokes And Co. As England Lose Test Series 4-1

Former India opener Virender Sehwag took a dig at the England cricket team and its 'Bazball' approach in Test cricket after Ben Stokes and Co. lost to India in Dharamsala. Ravichandran Ashwin took a five-wicket haul in his landmark 100th Test as the hosts hammered England by an innings and 64 runs in the fifth game on Saturday. With the win, India sealed the series 4-1. England's James Anderson reached 700 Test wickets early in the day to be just the third bowler to achieve the feat, but the visitors were never in the game.

"Look At Your Own Game": England Great Shreds 'Bazball' To Pieces

Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team thrived on the impatience of England batters for an emphatic innings and 64-run victory in the final chapter of an action-packed five-match contest, handing the visitors their heaviest defeat in the 'Bazball' era. With the series already in bag, India were playing for crucial World Test Championship points and England made their job simpler by self-imploding on day three in Dharamsala. After the match, former England captain Nasser Hussain said that Ben Stokes and Co. lost the series as they got "lost" in all the talks revolving around Bazball.

On Dhruv Jurel vs Rishabh Pant Wicket-Keeping Conundrum, Ex-Australia Star's 'Risk' Verdict

Former Australian cricket team spinner Brad Hogg believes that India should stick with Dhruv Jurel as the specialist wicket-keeper in Test cricket even after Rishabh Pant completely recovers from his injuries. Pant has been missing in action since late 2022 after a car accident but he is expected to make his return in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Hogg believes that Pant should prove himself in domestic cricket and only after that, he should be considered for the national team.

India v England Test series ratings: Rohit 9, Jaiswal 10; Stokes 4, Bashir 7

India completed an emphatic 4-1 Test series triumph over England in Dharamsala on Saturday, wrapping up victory by an innings and 64 runs.

Ravichandran Ashwin's Special Mention To "Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma" On Playing 100th Test

India's spin veteran Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday reached the milestone of 100 Test matches, with his appearance in the fifth and final game against England in Dharamshala. He was felicitated by India's head coach Rahul Dravid ahead of the game for achieveing the feat. Ashwin, who is one of the most successful all-rounders of the modern era, credited the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, besides thanking his family on playing playing the 100th Test of his career.