CHENNAI: They made their debut in the same Test match against England in Rajkot two years ago. One of them scored a fifty on debut, other helped India win the next match in Ranchi. They lifted the Anthony de Mello Trophy together weeks later in Dharamsala when then skipper Rohit Sharma handed it to them.
Now, around 30 months since that memorable debut series, it comes down to a toss up between Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel as the Indian team look to finalise their XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
While the similarities between the two extend past the debut series — both have familial roots in Uttar Pradesh — the road to this point since has been anything but contrasting.
For years, Sarfaraz piled on runs in domestic cricket season after season before eventually getting his call-up. He played six matches on the trot, all at home, and went to Australia where he warmed the bench for 45 days before being dropped. Jurel, on the other hand, was the back-up keeper to Rishabh Pant and got a chance to come in every time the left-hander missed out.
At one point, he even played as specialist batter in the middle-order and has been continuing the role since. He has played only four more matches than Sarfaraz, but it is not hard to see that Jurel has the backing of the team management, including head coach Gautam Gambhir.
While Jurel continued to be a part of the Indian team, Sarfaraz was left wandering in the wilderness. He scored a 92 for India A in England but was not considered for the Test team. Then in the domestic season, he played seven matches and scored 429 runs at 53.62 but the wait continued. His fitness was questioned. He shed a significant amount of weight, played for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. But the wait continued.
Until it didn't. When B Sai Sudharsan was ruled out, the selectors and team management turned to Sarfaraz two weeks before the first Test in Galle. One of the rationale behind Sarfaraz's selection, apart from his improved fitness and discipline, is his ability to take on spinners at will. It was visible in his fifty on debut or the hundred in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand. The other reason is the lack of runs in Test cricket for Jurel. Since the 44 in the second innings against West Indies at Arun Jaitley Stadium last October, he has not crossed 20 in three matches and seven innings.
With Devdutt Padikkal sealing the No 3 spot, the focus is now between Jurel and Sarfaraz. If it comes down to the ability to play spin, there is not much difference in their Test numbers. Jurel averages 37 against spin in Tests while batting at 53.6. Sarfaraz, meanwhile, averages 35 while striking at 75.9. This is just the Test numbers though, there is no doubt about Sarfaraz being a better player of spin in first-class cricket while also being aggressive. And that is something India has been missing in the last 18 months. Under pressure to win both matches to stay alive in the World Test Championship race, it is a selection call that skipper Shubman Gill and Gambhir will not want to get wrong.
Former India batter Mohammed Kaif feels they will go with Jurel in Galle even though he would prefer to see Sarfaraz. "If you ask me personally, Sarfaraz is quality at No 6, when the game is stuck, when you need crucial runs, who can bat well with tail-enders, the range of shots he has, reverse sweep, sweep, he plays the spin very well. For all these reasons, I see Sarfaraz ahead in my team," Kaif told this daily in an interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network.
"But there is a trend in Indian teams. When we went to Ireland, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi did not play in the first XI. He had to wait. If they follow the trend, Jurel will be playing in their XI. But if you ask me, my team, I think Safraaz's ability to play spin, when he made his debut against England, it was a turning track and he scored some 60-odd runs. In Indian domestic cricket, whenever he plays, he plays the spin very well. And that's why he got a chance to play against England in India. Because he could bring that X-factor when it comes to playing spin bowling," he added.
While the next 48 hours will tell more about which of two right-handers gets to take the field, the results over the course of five days in Galle will be just as crucial for Sarfaraz, Jurel and the Indian Test team going forward.
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