Jurel talks about being part of the Indian Test cricket set-up, says ‘How many people get this opportunity?’.
Dhruv Jurel elated after scoring second first-class century.
The batsman-wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel is now a regular in India’s Test team. He only had one first-class century, though, in December 2022, when he hit 249 against Nagaland, before to India A’s current four-day series against Australia A. And he doesn’t even mind that there aren’t any particularly high scores.
“Honestly, earlier it did matter to me whether my score was 100 or 150. But now I understand that the team’s victory is more important,” Jurel said after scoring 140 in 197 balls in India A’s only innings in the drawn first game in Lucknow. “In first-class cricket, I have seven-eight (he has four) scores in the 90s, which could have been centuries.
“One of them was in the Ranchi Test [against England in February 2024], where I became Player of the Match and the team won the match. Cricket is a team game, and we play cricket so that the team wins. Now I think more about the team’s win than about my scores.”
Jurel, who was playing in just his second Test match, batted at number seven in India’s first innings and scored 90. In the second innings, he struck 39 not out as India won by five wickets.
The 24-year-old Jurel made his debut in the India A lineup during the South Africa trip in December 2023. He was included in the Test team for India’s upcoming home series against England after scoring 69 in India A’s lone innings in the second four-day match played in Benoni. In Rajkot, he earned a Test cap just a month and a half later. He has played five Test matches so far, primarily in Australia and England when Rishabh Pant isn’t present, and he has amassed 255 runs and 11 dismissals.
“Staying with or around the [India] team definitely gives you confidence,” he said. “I consider myself very lucky and privileged that I got the chance to play Tests for India and to be with the team. Even if you are not playing, when seniors are around. you learn so many things from them. In a country of billions, how many people get this opportunity?”