Sunil Gavaskar explained his comment about Dhruv Jurel being “another MS Dhoni in the making.” Jurel’s impressive batting in India’s first innings against England caught Gavaskar’s attention. Despite being in only his second Test match, Jurel showed remarkable character and awareness, scoring 90 runs – the highest in India’s innings. Gavaskar made the comparison with Dhoni while praising Jurel’s mix of caution and aggression with the lower-order batsmen.
Sunil Gavaskar Takes A U-Turn From His “Dhruv Jurel Can Be Next MS Dhoni” Remark
Gavaskar’s remark sparked a frenzy online. It’s not every day that someone as esteemed as him compares a young player to a legend like Dhoni. But Jurel has been outstanding since his debut in Rajkot. The Uttar Pradesh youngster not only scored 90 runs in the first innings but also played a crucial unbeaten knock of 39* when India was under pressure, needing 77 runs to win.
When Jurel was informed about Gavaskar’s comments, he said: “Obviously it’s a good feeling to hear a legend like Sunil Gavaskar talk about me.”
India secured a convincing 5-wicket victory, clinching a 3-1 lead in the five-match series. As anticipation built for the final Test in Dharamsala, Gavaskar addressed the comparisons between Jurel and Dhoni. The cricket legend emphasized that while Dhoni is irreplaceable, Jurel’s promising performances hint at a bright future ahead.
Speaking on Sports Tak, Gavaskar clarified his statement. He said: “The way he thinks about the game, the way he assesses the situation and bats accordingly, gives me the MS Dhoni feels. He would hit a six in between and then look for ones and twos to rotate the strike… Even in keeping, the way he gathered that wayward throw and ran out Ben Duckett and then took a brilliant catch of Jimmy Anderson who went for the reverse sweep. When MS Dhoni was of his age, he too had the same situation awareness. And that is why I said, Jurel is like MS Dhoni. No one can become MS Dhoni. There is only one MS Dhoni. But if Jurel can manage to do even some portion of the things Dhoni did then it would be great for Indian cricket,”
Meanwhile, Jurel, part of India’s U19 World Cup squad in 2020, gained attention with impressive performances for the Rajasthan Royals in the previous IPL season. Gavaskar suggested that if the 23-year-old continues his form in the upcoming IPL, he could become a viable contender for India’s T20 World Cup squad. Gavaskar said:
“He is definitely an option. A lot will depend on his IPL form. Form is very important. But the ease with which he is hitting sixes shows that he has the game for shorter formats. If he gets a chance then he will bat at No.5 or 6 only, as a finisher. We’ve seen how Dhoni did coming in to bat that number in the last 4-5 overs of the innings. The same will be expected from him.”
