Dhruv Jurel’s Failures Spark Debate as Anil Kumble Criticises Gautam Gambhir’s Team Experiments

India’s young batter Dhruv Jurel endured a difficult outing in the two-match Test series against South Africa, finishing with just 29 runs while playing purely as a specialist batter. As criticism mounted after his twin failures in Guwahati, former India captain Anil Kumble stepped forward to defend the youngster—while simultaneously questioning the team management’s selection calls under Gautam Gambhir.

Jurel Under Fire After Low Scores

In the second Test at Guwahati, Jurel managed only two runs across both innings.
A rash pull shot cost him his wicket in the first innings, and on the final day, he fell while attempting to defend Simon Harmer. Fans heavily criticised him, arguing that a specialist batter must deliver under pressure.

Jurel earned his place in the XI after scoring twin centuries against South Africa A ahead of the series. Those knocks raised expectations that he could translate that form into international success. But his shift in role and batting position created new challenges.

Kumble: Wrong Position, Wrong Experiment

Speaking during the broadcast, Anil Kumble pointed out that Jurel is naturally suited to batting in the middle order, typically at No. 5 or No. 6. However, in this series, he was pushed to No. 4—an unfamiliar role for a developing player.

“I don’t think he has batted at No. 4 in First Class cricket. As a keeper, he bats at No. 6 or 5. Asking him to bat at 4 changes everything, especially when he knows he is playing as a specialist batter,” Kumble said.

India were already forced into an experiment after Shubman Gill’s neck injury sidelined him, leading to Sai Sudharsan batting at No. 3. Kumble argued that having two inexperienced players in such critical positions during a must-win away series was a risky decision.

‘Too Many Risks for a Crucial Series’

Kumble stressed that Jurel is still early in his career—only in his eighth or ninth Test—and has limited First Class experience despite 2,000 runs to his name.

He praised Jurel’s maturity, recalling his composed knocks against England and West Indies. But he reiterated that those came when he batted in familiar roles.

“If you’re experimenting at No. 3 and then also expecting your inexperienced No. 4 to deliver, that’s taking too many risks—especially when you’re 1–0 down,” Kumble stated.

India’s Batting Collapse Raises Bigger Concerns

After a heavy defeat in Kolkata, India’s batting faltered again in Guwahati. The team collapsed in the first innings, allowing South Africa to build a massive lead, and later crumbled again while chasing 549. The repeated failures have raised serious questions about selection decisions, batting order experiments, and overall approach.

While Jurel faced the brunt of online criticism, Kumble’s comments highlighted that the responsibility lies not only with the player—but with the tactical decisions behind him.