Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Dhruv Jurel were seen laughing after teammate Sarfaraz Khan made a bizarre fielding blunder, during day 1 of India's pre-match practice for the first Test against Australia. The trio was practicing catching together when Sarfaraz dropped an easy catch while attempting to catch the ball with his palms facing out next to his face.
The dropped catch led to a hilarious moment, with Pant laughing so hard that he fell to the ground, while Kohli and Jurel also struggled to contain their laughter. However, in just two days, the trio will need to shift their focus to serious matters as India faces Australia in Perth. Based on the events during practice, Jurel is expected to make his Test debut in Australia.
Meanwhile, Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel participated in a slip-catching drill, indicating the likely top six for the upcoming Test in Perth. If Jurel is included, it could mean Sarfaraz Khan will be left out. There is still one more practice session scheduled for Wednesday, which is expected to provide further insight into India's team combinations. Additionally, a press conference is planned, where the player in focus will likely face questions from the media.
Dhruv Jurel has played three Test matches for India, impressing fans and critics alike during his appearances earlier this year against England. In his debut innings at Rajkot, he scored a solid 46 runs, and followed that performance with scores of 90 and an unbeaten 39 in the subsequent match at Ranchi. In the first innings, Jurel played a crucial role, forming a 77-run partnership that helped stabilize the innings when India was in a precarious position at 177/7. While Kuldeep Yadav contributed to the partnership, it was primarily Jurel's scoring that enabled India to surpass the 300-run mark.
Rishabh Pant is returning to a series that holds special memories for him. Four years ago, he was one of India's standout players during their remarkable 2-1 comeback victory. After spending over a year on the sidelines due to injuries from a car accident, Pant made his return to Test cricket in September during the Bangladesh series and appears to be in top form.
Virat Kohli is set to be the focal point of attention as India prepares for the series, with no player attracting more scrutiny than him. Under significant pressure, Kohli must perform if India hopes to start the series with a victory. With Rohit Sharma absent, Kohli has become the player that Australians and their media are closely watching. Kohli has a well-established reputation in Australia, having played 13 Tests in which he has amassed over 1,300 runs, including six centuries. Notably, apart from KL Rahul, none of India's top-order batsmen possess the same level of experience as Kohli to navigate challenging situations.
