Dhruv Jurel opens up on India call-up for England Test series

NEW DELHI: The wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel opened up on his international call-up for the ongoing five-match Test series against England.

India lost the first Test of the series by 28 runs which was played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, in Hyderabad. Both teams will lock horns against each other in the second Test which will be played at Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vishakapatmam on Friday.

Jurel asserted that he concluded the practice session when the Indian squad was announced for the first two Tests of the series. He said that he was shocked to see his name on the list.

"We were having practice that day and it ended late in the evening. So, I was just going to sleep, and I casually opened BCCI TV and saw my name in the announced squad. I was literally in shock. Every kid playing cricket dreams of playing for the Indian national team. While seeing my name, I thought that I am living a dream," Jurel said in an interview with Jio Cinema.

The 23-year-old further stated that every cricketer has a dream to play for India one day. He also said that it was an emotional moment as I was selected for the Test squad.

"Every cricketer has this dream and for a middle-class family, when you are starting, it seems unattainable because so many people are competing and financially, it is expensive. How will we manage everything is something on the mind? All of that was flashing back, from where I started and all the struggles I overcame. Everything was happening like a flashback. My parents, sister, and I were all talking about it. It was a great and emotional moment," the Agra-born cricketer added.

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 the 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 has 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.