Dhruv Jurel appeared calm, possibly even preparing for bedtime. His team India A had established a commanding position in the initial unofficial test against England Lions, trailing the visitors by 110 runs with 9 wickets in hand.
The thought of batting on the final day might have crossed Dhruv’s mind as well. However, little did he anticipate that he was on the verge of receiving the most significant news of his life. His friends reached out to inform him that he had been chosen for the Indian squad in the first two Tests against England.
Despite consistently performing well in domestic cricket and for India A, the idea of a Test call-up hadn’t crossed Dhruv’s mind.
Humble Background
Originating from a modest background where financial constraints were a significant challenge, Dhruv harbored a strong aversion to witnessing his father saluting others. He dedicated himself to cricket, driven by the aspiration to eliminate the need for his father to salute anyone one day. Dhruv has successfully achieved this goal.
Dhruv Jurel is ready for team India. 🇮🇳
Good luck, Jurel. pic.twitter.com/O3tT6U3dg0
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 13, 2024
“I told my father that the kit will cost around Rs 8,000 and he was shocked after hearing the price and asked me to stop playing cricket,” Dhruv said.
“When I told my dad, he was ecstatic. He asked me for which Indian team I have been selected. I said ‘the one with Rohit (Sharma) bhaiya and Virat (Kohli) bhaiya. It was an emotional moment for the entire family.’ he added.
Getting his first call up for Team India, Dhruv expressed how grateful he felt for his selection.
“I really don’t know what to say. I will share the dressing room with the heroes that I have watched on television. This will be an entirely different experience. I would try to learn as much as possible,” he said.
India’s squad for the first two Tests against England:
Rohit (C), Gill, Jaiswal, Kohli, Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Axar, Kuldeep, Siraj, Mukesh, Bumrah and Avesh Khan. pic.twitter.com/nHqxCqyRRK
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 12, 2024
Story So Far
Jurel served as the vice-captain for India in the Under-19 World Cup in 2020. The 22-year-old cricketer marked his First-Class debut in the 2022 Ranji Trophy match against Vidarbha.
Up to this point, Jurel has participated in 15 First-Class games, amassing 790 runs, which include one century and five half-centuries, with a top score of 249. Additionally, he has featured in 10 List-A matches and 23 T20 games.
In the 2022 IPL auction, Rajasthan Royals secured Jurel for his base price of INR 20 lakhs. Making his IPL debut in 2023, he played 13 matches for the Royals, accumulating 152 runs at a strike rate of 172.72. Jurel has been retained by RR for the upcoming IPL season in 2024.
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