Finishing prowess of Jurel, Jitesh could be India’s key

For the longest time, India’s wicket-keeper batter used to be the first name listed on the team sheet.

- Rasesh Mandani

He would know the pulse of the changing game, play with minds of the opposition, take his team home more often than not, execute razor-sharp stumpings and if all of this wasn’t enough, captain the side to make himself undroppable. After MS Dhoni left, India has struggled for a wicket-keeper batter who can hold his own in the T20 format.

In the past three T20 World Cups, formulaic picks have delivered subpar returns. Rishabh Pant has been a constant, but is yet to ace the format. His great ability to second-guess the bowlers in the Test format seems to desert him in T20 cricket, where he is often chained by teams bowling to him on one side of the wicket. The temptation to give the free-spirited left-hander another chance to break free is always there in a big event. But it's been 76 T20Is now. In any case, he won't come into consideration for the Asia Cup, currently recovering from the foot injury from the England tour.