'Can you be too hard on Dhruv Jurel?' – Former India player massive claim after ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test defeat

India's 22-run defeat to England in the third Test at Lord's has generated conversations around various important events in the fixture. When chasing 193, India lost their last wicket for 170, thus giving England a vital 2-1 series lead going into the five-match series. One of the talking points was the fact India conceded 32 extras when England scored their second innings total of 192 - a point of contention that transpired to be an incredibly important contribution to the final result.

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar weighed in on the aftermath, particularly focusing on young wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who came in as a stand-in for the injured Rishabh Pant. Speaking on ESPN Cricinfo, Manjrekar questioned whether Jurel should be solely blamed for the extras, particularly byes. He also analyzed his keeping style and highlighted a trend among Indian wicketkeepers. “Can you be too hard on Dhruv Jurel (on extras), because he's come in as a stand-in keeper? Like a lot of Indian keepers, he looks far more accomplished when he is keeping against spinners and when he is close to the stumps,” he said.

Manjrekar further dissected other key aspects of India’s performance. He noted the delay in bringing in off-spinner Washington Sundar during England’s second innings—a move he felt cost India vital runs. Sundar, who eventually ended with four wickets in that inning, was introduced late into the attack, something Manjrekar termed as a tactical misstep.

‘Champion ’Cricketer’—Praise for Ben Stokes

Manjrekar also heaped praise on England captain Ben Stokes for his game awareness and impact throughout the Test match. While Stokes didn’t register a fifty or a five-wicket haul, his influence was felt in crucial moments—be it in the field, with the ball, or through his leadership. “Guys have got hundreds and five wickets; this is a guy who didn't get a fifty or even a five-wicket haul. But this is what Ben Stokes does... You look at the scorecard and wonder what his contribution is. But if you watched the game, you saw the difference that he makes,” he explained.

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Pointing to moments such as Stokes orchestrating the dismissal of KL Rahul and managing Bashir’s extended spell despite difficult conditions, Manjrekar concluded by calling him a “champion cricketer” and credited him for turning the tide in England’s favor. Stokes finished the match with 77 runs and five wickets and deservedly claimed the Player of the Match award.