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'It Took Him 20 Years To Be Dhoni' - Ganguly Dismisses MSD-Jurel Comparison

Jurel bagged Player of the match award in Dhoni's hometown. (X.com)Jurel bagged Player of the match award in Dhoni's hometown. (X.com)

Former Indian captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has lauded young Dhruv Jurel's performance but dismissed comparisons with the legendary MS Dhoni.

In his second Test, Jurel impressed everyone with his resilient batting and agile wicketkeeping in the ongoing five-match Test series against England. Jurel was awarded the Player of the Match for his game-saving contributions in both innings. 

He rescued India from a middle-order collapse in the first innings at the JSCA Stadium, scoring a crucial 90 runs. His unbeaten 39 eased the pressure on Shubman Gill in the second innings.

The comparisons arose after Jurel's sharp run-out of Ben Duckett in the Rajkot Test, where he swiftly collected a throw from mid-on and dismantled the stumps while sliding on his pads. Additionally, his calm demeanour in both innings of the fourth Test drew comparisons to Dhoni.

Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar labelled Jurel as the next Dhoni after the Ranchi Test, sparking a flurry of comparisons. Ganguly, however, emphasised that Dhoni's stature is unparalleled and that it took him years to establish himself. 

He urged patience with Jurel's development, acknowledging his talent but underlining the importance of allowing him time to mature.

“Dhruv Jurel; what a Test match he had under pressure on a difficult wicket. There is huge talent, but MS Dhoni is in a different league. It took MS Dhoni 20 years to be MS Dhoni. So let him [Jurel] play. His ability to play spin, pace and most importantly to perform under pressure. That's what you look for in a youngster,”  Sourav Ganguly told RevSportz.

Jurel, who grew up idolising Dhoni like many wicketkeeper-batters around the world, was delighted to be compared with his idol. 

He acknowledged the praise from Gavaskar and others but remained focused on his own game. The young wicketkeeper is likely to retain his place for the fifth and final Test match in Dharamsala.