In the ongoing fifth Test match between India and England in Dharamsala, young wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel displayed exceptional presence of mind, which led to the dismissal of Ollie Pope before lunch on the first day. Jurel’s clever tactic came during the 26th over when Kuldeep Yadav was bowling.
On the first ball of the over, Zak Crawley took a single, bringing Pope on strike. The second ball was a fuller delivery, which Pope tried to defend but couldn’t score any runs. Sensing an opportunity, Jurel noticed that Pope might come forward on the next delivery. Before the third ball was bowled, Jurel signaled to Kuldeep Yadav, indicating that Pope might step out.
Dhruv Jurel said
“badhega aage, badhega aage (he’ll come forward, he’ll come forward).”
True to Jurel’s prediction, Pope attempted to play the next ball forward. Kuldeep Yadav, reading the situation well, bowled a googly, and Pope, expecting a fuller delivery, was beaten and left stranded outside his crease. Jurel swiftly collected the ball and whipped off the bails, resulting in Pope being stumped.
This brilliant piece of cricketing intelligence by Dhruv Jurel not only removed a dangerous batsman but also showcased his sharp wicketkeeping skills. The video of this incident has been widely shared on social media, highlighting Jurel’s quick thinking and skill behind the stumps.
In the match, England won the toss and chose to bat first. They scored 100 runs for the loss of two wickets by lunch. Opener Zak Crawley was the top scorer for England with 61 runs. Before lunch, Kuldeep Yadav took both wickets for India, including the crucial dismissal of Ollie Pope thanks to Jurel’s smart work behind the stumps.
This Test match also marks Ravichandran Ashwin‘s 100th Test appearance for India, making him the 14th Indian cricketer to achieve this milestone. India handed a Test debut to Devdutt Padikkal in this match, and so far, it has been a competitive start for both teams.
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