"The passion to fight for the country flows in his blood" - Aakash Chopra lauds Dhruv Jurel's knock on Day 3 of the 4th IND vs ENG Test

Aakash Chopra has lauded Dhruv Jurel for playing a fighting knock in India's first innings of the fourth Test against England in Ranchi.

Jurel scored 90 runs off 149 deliveries to help India post 307 and limit their first-innings deficit to 46. The hosts then bundled England out for 145 and ended Day 3 (Sunday, February 25) at 40 for no loss, needing 152 runs more to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Jurel for playing a valiant knock under pressure. He elaborated (0:25):

"Dhruv Jurel is the story. He did an amazing job. A 90-run knock, it wasn't a century but it wasn't less than that either. When the day started, I felt India might concede a lead close to 90 runs because you were behind by 134 runs, Jurel was there with Kuldeep, and the second-new ball was about to be due."

"However, Kuldeep stood there and Dhruv Jurel kept hitting. It was incredible the way both of them batted. Dhruv Jurel is the son of a Kargil war hero. The passion to fight for the country flows in his blood," the former India opener added.

Chopra noted that the wicketkeeper-batter kept England at bay before he was the last man dismissed. He stated:

"He said that he might not be at the border like his father but wherever he will have the country's flag in his hand, he will wave it for sure, that he is not one to show his back and run away and will fight till the end. He was the tenth man to be dismissed."

Jurel struck six fours and four sixes during his knock. He added 76 runs for the eighth wicket with Kuldeep Yadav after India were in a precarious position at 177/7.

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"If that partnership hadn't happened, so many runs wouldn't have been scored" - Aakash Chopra on Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav's partnership

Kuldeep Yadav scored 28 runs off 131 deliveries. [P/C: BCCI]

While also praising Shoaib Bashir and Ravichandran Ashwin apart from Dhruv Jurel, Aakash Chopra picked Kuldeep Yadav as the star performer of the day. He said (8:20):

"Kuldeep Yadav was the most fantastic performer. He first batted well and then picked up four wickets. If that partnership hadn't happened, so many runs wouldn't have been scored. If he had not picked up those four wickets, we wouldn't have been able to control the game."

While Bashir registered figures of 5/119 in India's first innings, Ashwin returned a spell of 5/51 in England's second essay. Kuldeep followed up his 28-run knock with a spell of 4/22.