Jurel and Krishna shine despite India A's loss to Australia A

The second unofficial Test between India A and Australia A carried a lot of weight for both India and Australia in their preparation for the Border-Gavaskar series. Australia, the hosts this time, kept a close eye on the proceedings as they tried to find a reliable prospect for the opening position now that David Warner has hung up his boots. Meanwhile, Team India followed the performances of KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran as the team faced the possibility of being without their skipper, Rohit Sharma, for the opening BGT Test in Perth. While Easwaran and Rahul staged mighty disappointments in the Test, Dhruv Jurel and Prasidh Krishna emerged as the silver lining for India in the Test that was won by Australia A at the MCG.

Eager to shake off the ghost of the 0-3 series whitewash against New Zealand at home, India is trying to find that one combination that can help them turn their fortunes around in the format when they tour Australia for the Border Gavaskar series. When India arrives in Australia, the team faces the challenge of keeping their winning streak in the tournament alive. The team has won the last two editions down under, effectively keeping Australia away from the trophy for a decade now. However, the series win will not be their only goal in the Kangaroos’ den. India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC Final have come down to relying entirely on the five-match Border-Gavaskar series.

Dhruv Jurel and Prasidh Krishna put a strong case for selection in the India Playing 11 for BGT

KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel were sent early to Australia by the side. While it is not officially confirmed yet, skipper Rohit Sharma may miss the Perth Test. In his absence, India needs to find a batter to open the Indian innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. It was reported that all eyes would be on KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran when they took the field for the second unofficial match. Now, as India A has lost the contest, both Easwaran and Rahul have failed to meet the expected standard. Easwaran endured a three-ball duck in the opening innings and wrapped it up with 17 off 31 in the second innings. KL Rahul, after being dismissed for 4 off 4 in the first innings, managed to find the weirdest way to get dismissed, as he was bowled by Rocchiccioli for 10 in the next innings.

However, not all fared disappointingly for the team in Melbourne. One of the two players sent early to Australia came up with a noteworthy performance. In a match that witnessed the batters struggling, Dhruv Jurel scripted knocks that redeemed the team’s outing. In the first innings, the wicketkeeper-batter scored a gritty 80 off 186, as the team collectively managed just 70 runs. The youngster kept his performance up in the subsequent innings as well when he once again emerged as the highest run-scorer with 68 runs off 122. Jurel has put forth a strong case for selection in the Playing XI of India for the Border Gavaskar Trophy at a time when KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan are struggling with their form.

Moreover, pacer Prasidh Krishna also displayed himself as a bright contender if India is looking for a pace-heavy lineup. The seamer scalped four wickets in the first innings to push India into the race for a win at the MCG. Falling shy of a fifer in the attack, Krishna, who scripted a 4/50 spell in the innings, scalped three quick wickets to rattle Australia A and eventually bundle them out for 223. The pacer managed another two wickets in the next innings as he recorded 2/37. Both Jurel and Krishna have been named in the 16-member India squad for the Border Gavaskar series. With the likes of KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, and Mohammed Siraj failing to impress in the format lately, Dhruv Jurel and Prasidh Krishna have done their part to expect inclusion in the India Playing XI for the series down under.