India wicket-keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel kept wickets for the team in three of the five tests in England. Rishabh Pant had suffered a finger injury, and Jurel kept wickets in the second innings of the Lord’s Test.
Then in the Manchester Test, Pant suffered a fractured foot, and Jurel kept wickets for the entire Test match and then replaced Pant in the India XI for the final Test at the Oval.
Mohammed Siraj had starred in India’s narrow six-run win, as drama ensued on the final day. England needed 35 more runs with four wickets in hand and was the firm favorite to win the match. But Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled non-stop on the final day and ensured India won the game and leveled the five-Test series 2-2.
Gus Atkinson attempted to sneak in a quick single to protect injured Chris Woakes from batting with 17 runs to win and 1 wicket remaining. The ball went directly to Jurel behind the stumps, but the single was completed because his throw was wayward and missed the stumps on the striker’s end.
Jurel has now disclosed what transpired in that difficult circumstance, as Siraj was not pleased with his attempt.
“So, everything was happening very quickly, and the bowling was going well. Then I took my stance because the conditions were overcast, and the ball was swinging. I couldn't take a chance that even one run might be missed. I felt that I had taken my stance, and right on my right side in the slip was Shubman. Then he told me, “Yaar, he's going to bowl a wide yorker,” and by the time he had started his run-up, I didn't feel it was right to tell Siraj to stop because everything was going really well. All the momentum was on our side. So that happened,” Jurel said on Breaking Sports with Vivek Sethia.
“But when it was missed, I felt it should have been a run-out. The ball didn't grip properly in my hand, so it didn't happen well. Then I thought, “God, just let us win the match. That was the thing. It was a very good opportunity, but it was missed. Still, I believed that Siraj was bowling tremendously. The feeling was that we were going to win the match, and exactly that happened,” he added.
Mohammed Siraj was named the Player of the Match in the fifth Test.
