Following his maiden Indian team call-up, Uttar Pradesh wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel shared a heartwarming post, thanking his parents for supporting his career and promised them “this is just the start”. The Men’s Selection Committee on Friday announced India’s 16-member squad for the first two Tests against England. Alongside wicketkeeper-batters KL Rahul and KS Bharat, there was a new surprise for the fans as Dhruv’s name was also included in the list.
Dhruv took to (X), thanking his parents for their sacrifices just so that “their boy could hold a bat”. He also said that this is just the start of his career and that “abhi bohot naam kaamana hai” (have to earn a name for myself). “Thank you will be an understatement. For all the sacrifices my mother and father have made, so that their boy could hold a bat and just play cricket. I promise this is just the start. Mummy, papa, aap dono se zamaana hai. Aur abhi bohot naam kamaana hai!” tweeted Jurel.
In the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jurel played as a finisher for the Rajasthan Royals, scoring 152 runs in 13 matches at an average of 21.71 and a strike rate of over 172, with his best score being 34*. It was his shotmaking in death overs that gave him the spotlight.
Since his debut in 2021 in T20 format, Jurel has played 23 matches, scoring 244 runs in 19 innings at an average of 20.33, with the best score of 34* and a strike rate of 137.07.
Also, in 15 First-Class (FC) matches, Jurel has scored 790 runs at an average of 46.47, with a century and five fifties in 19 innings. His best score is 249. Jurel represents Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket.
Jurel made his FC debut back in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy, scoring 158 runs in seven innings across five matches at an average of 26.33 with two half-centuries. He had a better outing in the next Ranji season, scoring 429 runs in six matches and seven innings at an average of 71.50, with a century and fifty. His best score was 249.
Jurel also represented India in the 2020 U19 World Cup, in which they ended up as runners-up to Bangladesh. He was the deputy to the captain, Priyam Garg, and scored 89 runs across three innings at an average of 44.50 with one fifty. He has featured in 10 List-A games, scoring 189 runs in seven innings at an average of 47.25 with two half-centuries. Jurel made his List-A debut for India A this year in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Cup, scoring 31 runs in three innings in the tournament, which saw India end as runners-up to Pakistan.
India are set to play a five-match Test series against England, the first of which will be held in Hyderabad on January 25. The fifth and final test will be held in Dharamshala and the series will conclude on March 11.
Squad for the first two Tests against England: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan.
