Dinesh Karthik praises Dhruv Jurel’s technique while comparing it with Pant in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Former Indian wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik showered praise on Dhruv Jurel’s wicket-keeping technique when the substitute keeper took a brilliant catch to dismiss England vice-captain Ollie Pope on the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja.

Karthik said Jurel’s stable head position and right leg helped him take a brilliant catch. The former Indian gloveman said it is imperative for a keeper to stay low and rise with the ball.

On the other hand, Karthik noted that India’s vice-captain Rishabh Pant’s head position and right leg are not in an ideal position, and thus he sometimes bungles the ball while keeping to the spinners. 

Meanwhile, Pant suffered a blow to his index finger while keeping in the second session of the opening day of the third Test against England at Lord’s. Dhruv Jurel then replaced him on the field as a substitute wicket-keeper.

Dinesh Karthik said on Sky Sports, “Dhruv Jurel has picked up a very nice catch coming in as a sub for Rishabh Pant. I am just trying to understand and dissect his technique a little bit, which is little different to Rishabh Pant. And if you have a look at the video, it’s on the split screen at both Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel.

“Have a look at Rishabh Pant’s glove position, facing the bowler where Dhruv Jurel, a lot more lower and coming out, and how do you check the height of the glove in relation with the keeping pad. Dhruv Jurel is a lot more lower, closer to the keeping pads and the height of it compared to Rishabh Pant.”

Karthik noted that Jurel is more balanced behind the stumps as compared to Pant.

“As you roll this forward, the one thing you’ll see is balance. Why was Dhruv Jurel able to collect it cleanly. Just have a look at the right leg. The position of the right leg in many ways determines how well your head position is in relation to the glove. So, Rishabh Pant, as the ball comes close to him, sometimes gets up high and moves away from the ball whereas Dhruv Jurel’s glove and head position is very much in line with the ball being right in the middle of his hands.”

“Have a look at Rishabh Pant’s end position here in front. Right leg completely different. A lot of weight on the left leg, whereas Dhruv Jurel, a lot more balanced while taking the catch, which has enabled him to take a really hard catch and make it look rather easy,” he added.

England ended the opening day at 251-4 with Joe Root unbeaten on 99.