Ben Stokes Lauds Dhruv Jurel For Ranchi Heroics, Says England Wicket-Keeper Has 'Man Crush' On Him

England captain Ben Stokes made a playful comment, jokingly suggesting that England keeper-batsman Ben Foakes might have a 'man crush' on Indian wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.

England captain, Ben Stokes, made a playful comment suggesting that England wicket-keeper has 'Man Crush' on Dhruv Jurel

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India secured a five-wicket victory over England in the fourth India vs England Test at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on February 26 (Monday). The young wicketkeeper-batsman, Dhruv Jurel, was named the Player of the Match for his noteworthy contributions with scores of 90 and an unbeaten 39. Additionally, Jurel showcased impressive skills behind the stumps. England captain Ben Stokes made a light-hearted comment, jokingly suggesting that keeper-batsman Ben Foakes may have a 'man crush' on Jurel. 

After facing the first series defeat under his captaincy, skipper Ben Stokes praised Dhruv Jurel for his outstanding performance in the Ranchi Test. Speaking at a post-match press conference following the 4th IND vs ENG Test, Ben Stokes humorously mentioned that wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes might have a fond admiration for Jurel's wicket-keeping skills.

“Both innings he's played very well. His keeping was also something to watch - I think Ben Foakes has a little man crush on him there.”

Dhruv Jurel's Contributions Help India To Series-Winning Victory

Dhruv Jurel showcased exceptional resilience and maturity in the 4th IND vs ENG. In the first innings, with India facing a challenging situation at 177/7 while chasing England's 353, the 23-year-old from Uttar Pradesh played a composed innings. Teaming up with Kuldeep Yadav and Akash Deep, he forged crucial partnerships to restrict England's lead to just 46 runs.

In the second innings, India once again found themselves in a precarious position at 120/5 while chasing a target of 192. However, Jurel, along with Shubman Gill (52*), displayed composure to guide India to a series-clinching victory. Jurel's contributions extended beyond this match, as he had also played a resilient knock of 46 in the first innings of his debut Test in Rajkot. His performances underline his ability to handle pressure and contribute significantly to India's success.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma also praised keeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel for his outstanding performance under pressure in the Ranchi Test. 

"Jurel playing his second Test showed solid composure, calmness and he's got the shots as well to play all around the wicket. The first innings 90 of his was very crucial for us to get close to that England's total and again in the second innings showed a lot of maturity, composure along with Gill," mentioned Rohit Sharma at the post-match conference in Ranchi.