India have plenty of selection questions to answer before the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets rolling in Perth on November 22. The confirmed unavailability of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill means there will be a shake-up, particularly in the top order, with some big decisions for Gautam Gambhir and company to make.

With KL Rahul expected to step in as emergency opener and Dhruv Jurel putting up a strong showing in the India A games in the two-match tour, the wicketkeeper-batter has made a strong case for his suitability to Australian conditions.

However, despite BGT hero Rishabh Pant blocking his path into the team with the gloves, former Indian batter and coach Ravi Shastri believes Jurel has shown enough to enter the team as a batter.

Previewing the series for ICC Review, Shastri said "I think he can easily play as a (specialist) batter. What impressed me most was his temperament, his calmness when the chips were down and the tightness he brought to his game - especially under pressure.”

'His temperament stands out…'

Jurel has already represented India with solid performances in three Test matches, which included a player-of-the-match performance against England in Ranchi. Picked for the second of India A’s two matches at the MCG, Jurel was the star in difficult batting conditions as he scored 80 and 68 in the two innings.

Shastri commended Jurel for the mental edge he has, showing calmness in tough situations. “Under pressure, you can see a lot of players struggling. You can see them being fidgety. You can see them being all over the shop. You can see those nerves coming through. But in this guy's case, his temperament stood out,” said Shastri. "Whenever the chips were down, even in that series against England he stepped up to the plate. So I like what I saw and I'll be quite prepared to give him a go if he's in good nick.”

Jurel will likely bat at number six, behind Rishabh Pant and ahead of whichever spin bowling all-rounder is chosen. Although it will be a different monster with plenty of pressure on the young Jurel, Shastri backed him to perform well for the team in the role.

"I think seeing his form, he got 80 and 60, will do his confidence a world of good. And he's got the range of shots as well. It's not that he's just a blocker there, he can play shots. He can bat with the tail as well,” explained Shastri.

India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins at Perth on November 22nd, as they look to defend it for a fifth series running.

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