Dhruv Jurel Over Nitish Reddy: Why Should Shubman Gill Take The Bold Call For Leeds Test?

Dhruv Jurel and Nitish Reddy [Source: @ishantraj51, @CricCrazyJohns/X]

India are all set to kickstart their much-anticipated England tour under Shubman Gill's leadership. The five-match Test series marks India's first-ever assignment in the upcoming World Test Championship cycle as the visitors set their eyes on a maiden WTC title triumph. 

The ongoing India-A vs England Lions unofficial Test series has offered the Indian players ample game time, allowing them to fine-tune their skills before the opening game at Headingley. However, with India aiming to get a dream start in Leeds, Dhruv Jurel has emerged as a strong candidate for a slot in the middle order. 

Dhruv Jurel's Batting Form Presents A Strong Case For His Inclusion

(Dhruv Jurel for India-A in last 5 innings)

• It's worth mentioning that Dhruv Jurel has been picked as the second wicket-keeper, and hence, India might treat him as an alternative for Rishabh Pant. 
• However, the right-hander's sublime form in red-ball cricket could tempt the Indian think tank to play him purely as a batter. 
• As evidenced by the above stats, Jurel has been one of the most reliable batters for India-A, slamming five consecutive fifties in Australia and England's testing conditions. 
• He actually deserves to play the first Test purely as a batter, thanks to his prolific numbers in red-ball cricket of late. With India aiming to revamp their middle order after Virat Kohli's retirement, Jurel's stoic technique and elegant stroke play could make him a valuable long-term asset in Test cricket. 

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Nitish Reddy's 'Bits And Pieces' Attribute Could Lead To His Exclusion

• The India-A tour of England was a golden opportunity for several youngsters competing for limited spots in India's Test XI. While KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja seem certain starters, the real tossup is between Jurel, Nitish Reddy and Shardul Thakur for the two remaining slots in India's top eight. 
• However, if Jurel's red-hot batting form paves the way for his inclusion, then India will be forced to choose only one between Shardul and Nitish Reddy to accompany their three frontline seamers. 
• The decline in Nitish Reddy's bowling prowess might prompt India to trust Shardul, with Jurel bringing enormous value as a more dependable batter than the former. 
• Reddy's batting dip was evident in the IPL 2025, where he managed only 182 runs at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of just over 118. While he has scored less than half of what Jurel has struck on India-A's England tour, the medium pacer hasn't been a regular operator with the ball after recovering from a side strain. 
• Thus, if Jurel gets in due to his superior batting abilities, India could drop Reddy in order to ensure a more balanced lineup for the Leeds Test.

India's Probable XI For Leeds Test If Dhruv Jurel Gets In

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill (C), Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh

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