Dhruv Jurel's 'MS Dhoni-esque' prediction went unheard as Kuldeep Yadav reveals setup to trap England's Ollie Pope
Kuldeep Yadav finished England's first innings with a five-wicket haul, as the visitors were bowled out for 218 in the fifth Test
In the fifth Test between India and England, Kuldeep Yadav showcased his bowling prowess by claiming five wickets to bundle England out for just 218 runs in Dharamsala. His remarkable figures of 5/72, complemented by Ravichandran Ashwin's four-wicket haul, orchestrated England's downfall in just 57.4 overs, as India dominated the proceedings on Day 1.
Despite England's early resistance, with the visitors reaching 137-2 courtesy of Zak Crawley's 79, Yadav's mesmerizing left-arm wrist spin turned the tide in India's favour. His skilful bowling left England's batting lineup in disarray, ultimately leading to their collapse.
One of Kuldeep's wickets included Ollie Pope, who was dismissed as he stepped out against the chinaman spinner. Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel showcased his cricketing acumen behind the stumps when he accurately predicted Ollie Pope's dismissal.
Jurel's keen observation came to the fore during the 26th over of England's innings; with Kuldeep bowling, Jurel, positioned behind the stumps, noticed a subtle adjustment in Pope's stance from the previous delivery. In a moment reminiscent of MS Dhoni's tactical brilliance, Jurel confidently proclaimed, "Yeh badhega aage (he will step out)," indicating his anticipation of Pope's attempt to counter the spin by advancing down the track.
Pope mirrored the anticipated move; As Kuldeep delivered a googly pitched slightly shorter, Pope advanced down the track. The ball spun sharply past the outside edge, evading Pope's attempted stroke. Jurel, positioned behind the stumps, swiftly completed the dismissal, contributing to India's momentum on the field.
In his post-match comments, however, Kuldeep stated that he didn't hear Jurel's comments and that Sarfaraz Khan, positioned at forward short leg, also pointed the same thing out about Pope. Kuldeep revealed that he had decided to pull his length back as soon as he saw Pope preparing to step out.
“He just stepped out a bit early and that's all. That's what I was thinking at the moment. Even Sarfaraz was saying the same thing, ‘he was going to step out’,” Kuldeep said.
“Ollie Pope can't stay at the crease for long. He likes to step out and dominate the spinners. If you have variations, you can use them. It's the keeper's job to notice those things. He stepped out early, and that's when I decided to change it.”
India's batting response was as impressive as Kuldeep's outing with the ball, with skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill keeping solid after Yashasvi Jaiswal's half-century knock (57). Ending the day at 135-1, the duo set the stage for a strong Indian reply in the subsequent days of the Test match.
