Playing Dhurv Jurel instead of Rishabh Pant in 2nd Test against New Zealand could be a smart move

In a major boost for Team India ahead of their upcoming second Test match against New Zealand in Pune, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has successfully recovered from his injury and is now eligible for selection. Pant had to temporarily stop keeping wickets in the second day of the match due to a blow on his right knee, but he has since been deemed fit to play. The real question now is whether the Indian team management will take the risk of including him in the lineup.

Pant was seen struggling to run between the wickets during his 99-run knock in the second innings against New Zealand. There was considerable doubt whether he would bat at all in the first Test in Bengaluru, but India's dismal show in the first innings, where they were bowled out for their lowest score (46) at home, meant they needed a herculean effort in the second innings to come back into the Test.

They exactly did so through valuable contributions from captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (70), Sarfaraz Khan (150), and Pant (99). Till the time Pant and Sarfaraz were batting in the middle, it looked like India may have a realistic chance of winning the Test match by giving a daunting target to New Zealand but that didn't happen after both of them were dismissed in quick succession. New Zealand chased down the 107-run target with 8 wickets in the bank.

Towards the end of the innings, Pant looked to be in some sort of discomfort while running, which would keep the Indians on their toes. This is especially true considering the Australia tour, where Pant's presence behind the wickets and with the bat would be crucial for India's chances.

“He’s (Rishabh Pant) had a massive operation on his leg, so we all know what he went through,” Rohit had said after the first Test. “He’s had a lot of minor surgeries, one big surgery on his knee, and he went through a lot of trauma, to be honest, in the last one and a half years. So it’s just about being extra careful, not careful with him. Even when he was batting, he was not comfortably running. He was trying to only put the ball in the stands.”

If India do decide to give Pant a breather in the second Test in Pune then Dhruv Jurel will walk into the XI. Jurel, who made his debut earlier against England, did a speeding job as a substitute keeper in the first Test. With the bat too he has had decent success against England and played a pivotal role in ensuring victory for India in the Ranchi Test against England with a 90 in the first innings and an unbeaten 39 during the chase.

Jurel is likely to be ant's backup even for the Australia tour. In that case, it might not be a bad idea to give him some game time. The concern for Rohit and coach Gautam Gambhir, however, would be loss in the first Test. The poor start to the series means India have very little option but to win the remaining two Tests to not only win the series but ensure smooth passage to the World Test Championship final.