Is Dhruv Jurel the Right Man for Rajasthan Royals' No. 3 in 2026?

Rajasthan Royals are questioning whether Dhruv Jurel is the right fit for the No. 3 spot in their batting lineup.

A Question of Context It's challenging to determine the ideal batter for the No. 3 position in absolute terms, as context plays a significant role. In IPL 2008, only six batters achieved 200-plus runs at a strike rate of 150-plus. In contrast, IPL 2026 has seen 25 batters accomplish this feat already. Dhruv Jurel is one of those 25 batters, having scored 290 runs at a strike rate of 151.04, with three half-centuries in ten innings. These numbers would have been exceptional in 2008, but not as remarkable in 2026. ## Attributes of a No. 3 Batter The ideal No. 3 batter should possess immense flexibility, allowing them to adapt to various situations. They should be a third opener, blessed with either more power or a wider range of scoring zones, or ideally both. This enables them to consistently find the boundary after the powerplay and score quickly against both pace and spin. Rajasthan Royals believe Dhruv Jurel has the attributes to play this role, but the question remains whether he is ready for it in 2026. ## Recent Performances Raise Concerns Dhruv Jurel's recent performances have raised concerns about his ability to play the No. 3 role. In their last three matches, he scored 51 off 35 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, 16 off 20 against Punjab Kings, and 42 off 30 against Delhi Capitals. These scores suggest that he may not be able to capitalize on the momentum built by the top-order batters. Moreover, Rajasthan Royals' batting strategy in these matches has been criticized, as they have not been aggressive enough in the middle overs. ## Ravindra Jadeja's Promotion Raises Questions Ravindra Jadeja's promotion ahead of Donovan Ferreira in the batting order has raised questions about Rajasthan Royals' tactics. Parag stated that Jadeja's promotion was partly to have a left-right combination at the crease and partly to delay Ferreira's entry point. However, this strategy has been deemed outmoded, as it risks leaving runs out in the middle. Rajasthan Royals' last two bat-first games have shown that totals of 228 and 225 can be below-par in IPL 2026. ## Jadeja's Struggles and the Impact on Jurel Ravindra Jadeja's struggles to score quickly against spin have been well-documented. However, in the recent matches, Rajasthan Royals seemed to be not asking him to try and score aggressively. This has had an impact on Dhruv Jurel, who has been batting with muted ambitions. The classic example came in the ninth over of the innings, where Parag hit two towering sixes, but Jurel only attempted to rotate the strike, scoring two singles and two dots. This approach has been criticized, as it fails to put pressure on the bowlers and leaves runs out in the middle. ## IPL No. 3 Batters Who Found Their Gears There are several examples of top-order batters in the IPL who have found their gears and become successful in the No. 3 role. Shreyas Iyer, for instance, started his career as a struggling No. 3 batter but has since added several gears to his game. Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul are other examples of batters who have adapted to the demands of the No. 3 position. Rajasthan Royals' Dhruv Jurel may not be there yet, but it's not impossible for him to find his next level.