The former Indian opening batter, Aakash Chopra, has made his choice for the future Test batter for the national side before the upcoming five-match Test series in England in June 2025. He claimed that the young wicket-keeper batter, Dhruv Jurel, would have been among the runs had he featured in all five Tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.
Jurel has featured in four Tests to smash 202 runs at 40.40. In his only outing in the Test series at Perth, the right-handed batter drilled scores of 11 and 01. However, he was in terrific touch in the only A-game for the blue brigade at the MCG with scores of 80 and 68 across two innings.
“What about Dhruv Jurel? They have already started investing in Dhruv Jurel. He is a quality player and can play as a batter. He is just 23. When everyone was struggling for India A, how well he batted. It’s not easy to bat like that on Australian pitches.” Aakash Chopra expressed this in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
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Jurel played only one Test match and had to make way for Rohit Sharma, who, after missing the opening red-ball fixture due to paternity leave, returned in the second day-night Adelaide contest. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra has picked southpaws Sai Sudharsan Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad as the country’s potential future Test batters.
Aakash Chopra keeps faith in Riyan Parag to be a successful Test batter for India
The two senior batters of the Indian side were not in form in the Australia trip. The regular captain, Rohit Sharma, struggled for his 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.20 with the best score of ten, while Virat Kohli collected 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75 with the best score of an unbeaten 100 runs.
“I am convinced he would have scored runs if he had played all Tests, in case he had played after Perth also. He has the fight like you see in Nitish Kumar Reddy. It’s not tangible, but Dhruv Jurel has something. He has got that thing.” Aakash Chopra added.
The Uttar Pradesh-born felt that Jurel had shown excellent temperament in the series despite being hit by a few bouncers. The technique of the wicket-keeper looks to be sorted and structured to do well in the longest format, according to Chopra.
In the same discussion, Aakash Chopra has gone with Riyan Parag, who could become a part of the Test batting line-up of the national side.
“After that, I am again going towards a youngster. Let me just throw one name, and I would want you to tell me whether it’s right or wrong. Should he be thought about at all? His name is Riyan Parag. Interesting name. Completely out-of-the-box name.” Aakash Chopra highlighted this in the same discussion.
The 23-year-old batter for Assam has gathered 1991 runs in 56 first-class innings at an average of 36.20, shouldering on three centuries and 12 fifties. Aakash Chopra felt that the Royals’ batter should not be judged on numbers.
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“He does well for Assam, but when he does well for Assam, especially in four-day cricket, you have to take it with a pinch of salt because he is going to score runs where Assam plays cricket, and the huge role he has in that team. However, should his first-class numbers be seen in the same way as say, Devdutt Padikkal or Sai Sudharsan? I don’t think so.” Akash Chopra concluded.
Before the start of the England series, India will play three four-day games, and the squad selection for that is interesting to see.