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Former India captain and current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President, Sourav Ganguly, has placed the spotlight squarely on the contest for the No. 3 batting position in the Indian Test team ahead of the two-match series against South Africa, which commences on November 14 in Kolkata. The debate is fueled by the return of Rishabh Pant and the scintillating form of Dhruv Jurel, who traditionally operates as a wicketkeeper-batter.
IND vs SA: Sourav Ganguly makes his call on Dhruv Jurel and Sai Sudharsan for No. 3 batting role
Ganguly publicly backed the case for the in-form Jurel, putting pressure on the incumbent Sai Sudharsan. Ganguly acknowledged the difficulty of breaking up India’s settled batting order, but suggested that Jurel’s recent weight of runs warrants his inclusion as a specialist batter, potentially at the No. 3 position, which has been unsettled since Cheteshwar Pujara‘s retirement.
“He’s playing well, isn’t he? Rishabh is back and I don’t know what the selectors are thinking. Basically, the spots are taken – two openers, (Shubman) Gill at 4, Pant at 5, KL (Rahul), (Ravindra) Jadeja are there. Players have performed. How easy will it be to open up a slot for Dhruv Jurel at this stage, I wouldn’t know. But it depends on whom they want to send at No. 3 – whether they want to go with Sai Sudharsan, or bring in our in-form Dhruv in. We’ll find out.” Ganguly was quoted as saying by the RevSportz.
The immediate focus of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle shifts to India, where Shubman Gill’s team is set to host South Africa in a crucial two-match Test series. This contest, known as the Freedom Trophy, will begin on Friday, November 14, 2025, at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata and run until November 18.
This first Test promises a high-voltage clash as India, currently third on the WTC table, attempts to leverage its formidable home record against the reigning World Test Championship title holders, South Africa, who are placed fourth. The action then moves to the Northeast for the second and final Test, which will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, starting on Saturday, November 22, 2025, and concluding on November 26.
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Dhruv Jurel’s red-hot form puts pressure on Sai Sudharsan
Jurel has been in scintillating form of late, notably slamming centuries in both innings of the second unofficial Test between India A and South Africa A in Bengaluru last week, where he registered scores of 132 and 127. This remarkable consistency builds on his previous success, as he had impressed earlier this year during the Test series against the West Indies, scoring 175 runs in three innings, including a hundred, at an average of 87.50. This incredible run, which includes four centuries in his last five red-ball appearances, is forcing the team management to consider him for a specialist batter role, regardless of Pant’s return.
Conversely, the pressure on Sudharsan, who has been auditioning for the crucial No. 3 slot, has intensified due to his struggles in the recent India A games. While Sudharsan has got the backing of captain, head coach and team management and scored his Test career-highest score of 87 against the West Indies, his form has dipped in the most recent outings. He failed to cross the fifty-run mark against South Africa A, managing only 84 runs from four innings across the two unofficial Tests. His struggle to convert starts in these vital “A” matches, which included low scores of 17 and 23 in the second Test, has made his spot at the top of the batting order highly vulnerable to the in-form Jurel ahead of the decisive series against South Africa.
