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Former Indian cricket captain Anil Kumble has sparked intrigue in the cricketing world by identifying a potential successor to the legendary MS Dhoni. In a recent interview, Kumble hinted at a player with remarkable potential, drawing comparisons to the iconic former captain.
Anil Kumble on India’s next big thing
Kumble reckoned that the young star Dhruv Jurel has the potential to become something like Dhoni. Kumble praised Jurel’s stellar performance in the fourth Test against England in Ranchi, who has catapulted the youngster into the limelight. His gritty 90 in the first innings and an unbeaten 39 in the second innings played a pivotal role in India’s triumphant five-wicket victory at the JSCA International Stadium.
Kumble’s assessment
Kumble, known for his astute cricketing insights, lauded Jurel’s multifaceted skills. He commended the young player’s temperament, technique, and ability to switch between defense and attack seamlessly. Kumble particularly highlighted Jurel’s exceptional glovework, emphasizing his potential for further growth and improvement in the future.
“Oh yes, there’s Rishabh Pant. We don’t know of course when he comes, comes back whenever that happens. Sooner hopefully for Rishabh. But otherwise, yes, he certainly has all the credentials to get to where MS (Dhoni) reached in his career. But he’s shown that he’s not just shown the temperament of his technique to defence but even when he’s attacking. Even in that first innings he was very assured he went after and then hit those big sixes when he was batting with the tail and hats off even behind the stumps,” Kumble said on Jio Cinema.
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Kumble on the future prospect of the young star
Notably, Jurel’s inclusion in the playing XI for the fourth Test marked a significant shift, replacing KS Bharat who failed to leave a mark with both bat and gloves. Kumble expressed optimism about Jurel’s future prospects, foreseeing a promising journey ahead for the talented youngster.
“He’s been exceptional. Especially of the faster bowlers. Spinners again took a couple of really good catches and he’s only going to improve. This is only his second Test and I’m sure as he starts playing more and more he’ll only get better. And it only augers well for India. And to have him in a squad is exceptional. Yeah, I mean it’s not been easy for KS Bharat. But that’s why I said the selectors, having seen him with only 15 1st class games have chosen him. Saying okay, this is the person who we believe and introduced him in that last Test. And since then he’s been outstanding and he’s played the match because the batting really I always feel and I don’t want to sort of throw a dampener on this at all because that’s not my intention,” he added.