For the past six months, or maybe even longer, the whole of India has been caught up in a debate about who should take the number three spot in the Test team. Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan were the contenders during the England series, but they only managed to score one fifty each, ending up with averages in the 20s. After that, during the West Indies series, seasoned player Karun Nair was completely overlooked, and it seems that will be the case again in the upcoming South Africa series. Sudharsan, however, is still in the mix. But do we really need him at number three, especially with the keeper-batter doing some remarkable things? Let’s take a look at the latest performances. In the IND A vs SA A second Test, Dhruv Jurel scored his second century in as many innings, following up his 132 not out in the first innings when India was struggling at 126/7. And let’s not forget his maiden century in Ahmedabad during the first Test against the West Indies, where he scored 125. His impressive form actually dates back to the IND A vs AUS A series and even the IND A vs ENG Lions series. Against the Australians, he scored 140 and 56 in Lucknow, and against the Lions, he consistently put up scores of 94, 53, 52, and 28. All of this clearly shows that Dhruv Jurel is the number three batter that India has been searching for. That said, we can’t ignore Rishabh Pant, who is still the keeper-batter in the squad. But when it comes to pure batting talent, Jurel has earned his place in the Test XI. The number three position could be his to claim, especially considering the struggles others have faced in that spot. If the management isn’t fully confident, they could try him out at 5 or 6, with Shubman Gill stepping into the number three role. In that case, Gautam Gambhir and Gill should make the most of his good form, as Jurel could be a valuable asset for the nation for many years to come.