"Should share his match fees with Dhruv Jurel" - Former India wicket-keeper's interesting comment on Rishabh Pant during ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Former India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik jokingly suggested that Rishabh Pant should split his match fees with Dhruv Jurel for handling the wicket-keeping responsibilities in the third Test against England at Lord's. The flamboyant batter injured his left index finger on Day 1, and since then, it has been his deputy who has assumed the glovework in the match.

Rishabh Pant's injury was assessed by the physios, who declared him fit for batting. Despite struggling with his finger on numerous occasions, the southpaw was resilient at the crease, scoring a crucial 74 in the first innings, before being run out at the stroke of Lunch on Day 3.

Dhruv Jurel came in as the replacement wicket-keeper since the revised laws allow such a provision in such unfortunate circumstances. The 24-year-old has not missed the mark at all, allowing for a smooth transition behind the stumps. He took a stunning, sharp reflex catch to dismiss Ollie Pope off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling in the first ball of the third session on Day 1.

He took the field in place of Rishabh Pant on Day 4 as well, with the injured player still recovering on the sidelines. He had to keep wickets up to the stumps against the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep, and did a stellar job at that. He has been sharp with his collecting, and has dove around as well when Bumrah and Siraj have struggled to contain the movement at times.

Dinesh Karthik lauded Jurel's efforts, and claimed that Rishabh Pant owes him for the splendid work his replacement has done in the Test so far.

"Rishabh Pant should share his match fees with Dhruv Jurel," the former wicket-keeper said on-air.

He showed his reliable wicket-keeping ability even in his debut series against England at home in early 2024. Since then, he has been the official back-up wicket-keeper of the side, pipping the likes of Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat.

“Dhruv Jurel is a lot more lower and closer to the keeping pads" - Dinesh Karthik on the techniques of Indian wicket-keepers in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

The replacement wicket-keeper's glovework while standing up to the stumps, especially against Akash Deep, who bowls well over the 80 miles per hour mark, was appreciated by the commentators on air. His sharp catch to dismiss Ollie Pope to break the 109-run stand for the third wicket was also a massive moment in the game.

“The position of the right leg determines in many ways how well your head position is in relation to the glove. Dhruv Jurel is a lot more lower and closer to the keeping pads, and the height of it as compared to Pant,” Dinesh Karthik had explained on Day 1 (via India Today).

Jurel will likely continue to keep wickets in the remainder of England's second innings, as Rishabh Pant heals ahead of his batting stint in the fourth innings run chase.