Dhruv Jurel has been added to India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, starting January 11 in Vadodara, following Rishabh Pant’s injury setback. The BCCI confirmed that Jurel joined the team in Vadodara ahead of the series opener.
Pant was ruled out after sustaining an abdominal injury during a training session, with an MRI revealing a right-sided strain and internal oblique muscle tear. The 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter will undergo a period of rest and further assessment at the Centre of Excellence. His absence requires the team management to adjust plans for the middle order.
Jurel, a 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Uttar Pradesh, earned his call-up after a prolific domestic season in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 558 runs in seven matches, including two centuries. Though he had previously missed selection, Pant’s injury provided an opportunity for the promising youngster. It remains unclear whether Jurel will feature in the playing XI, with KL Rahul expected to continue as the first-choice wicketkeeper.
Pant’s injury marks another interruption in an ODI career that has lacked continuity; he last played a 50-over match on India’s tour of Sri Lanka in August 2024.
India’s updated ODI squad:Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK).
