India’s wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has downplayed any talk of rivalry with Rishabh Pant ahead of the opening Test against South Africa, stating that both players share the same goal, which is to help India win. Speaking before the series opener in Kolkata, Jurel said, “There is no competition between me and Rishabh bhai. Both of us are playing for India, and whoever plays, the motive is the same: to make India win. If he plays, I am happy. If I play, I am happy. If we play together, that would be even better. The only focus is the team.”
The 24-year-old, who replaced Pant during his injury layoff, has been in strong red-ball form over the past year. His consistent performances, including a maiden Test century against the West Indies at Ahmedabad, have solidified his place in India’s setup. “As a cricketer, the best feeling is feeling accomplished that you did something for your team and they won,” he told JioStar. Jurel also spoke about the challenge ahead, praising both teams’ pace attacks ahead of the Eden Gardens Test. “It is going to be a very exciting battle. Both teams have strong fast-bowling attacks. Whether it’s Rabada and Marco Jansen from their side, or Bumrah bhai from ours, there’s quality all around,” he added. India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate recently confirmed that Jurel is set to feature in the playing XI for the first Test. “I would be very surprised if you don’t see Dhruv and Rishabh playing in this Test this week. Given the way Dhruv has gone in the last six months, and scoring two hundreds in Bengaluru last week, he is certain to play this week,” Ten Doeschate said at the pre-match press conference. The two-Test series marks South Africa’s first visit to India for red-ball cricket since 2019, when India completed a 3–0 sweep. The opening Test begins on November 14 at the Eden Gardens, followed by the second in Guwahati from November 22.
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With both Pant and Jurel in top form, India’s combination behind the stumps and in the middle order promises to be one of the most watched aspects of the series.India squad for first Test: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash DeepSouth Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne
