Page 44 - The Indian EYE 020924

SPORTS FEBRUARY 09, 2024 | The Indian Eye 44

IPL star Dhruv Jurel knocks

joins Test Squad as Rishabh

Pant sweats its out

OUR BUREAU
Vishakapatnam/New Delhi
he wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv
Jurel opened up on his inter-
Tnational call-up for the on-
going 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 Vishakapatnam
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 eve-
ning. 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 play-
ing 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. India’s captain Rohit Sharma and teammate Rishab Pant during a practice session ahead at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru recently (ANI)

The 23-year-old further stat- I started and all the struggles I over- the best score of 34* and a strike Jurel has represented India in
came. Everything was happening like rate of 137.07. the 2020 U19 World Cup, in which
ed that every cricketer has a flashback. My parents, sister, and Also, in 15 First-Class (FC) they ended up as runners-up to Ban-
a dream to play for India one I were all talking about it. It was a matches, Jurel has scored 790 runs gladesh. He was the deputy to the
great and emotional moment,” the at an average of 46.47, with a centu- captain, Priyam Garg, and scored 89
day. He also said that it was an Agra-born cricketer added. ry and five fifties in 19 innings. His runs across three innings at an aver-
In the 2023 edition of the Indian
emotional moment as I was se- Premier League (IPL), Jurel played best score is 249. Jurel represents age of 44.50 with one fifty.
He has featured in 10 List-A
Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket.
lected for the Test squad. as a finisher for the Rajasthan Roy- Jurel made his FC debut back games, scoring 189 runs in seven
als, scoring 152 runs in 13 matches at in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy, scor- innings at an average of 47.25 with
“Every cricketer has this dream an average of 21.71 and a strike rate ing 158 runs in seven innings across two half-centuries. Jurel made his
and for a middle-class family, when of over 172, with his best score being five matches at an average of 26.33 List-A debut for India A this year
you are starting, it seems unattain- 34*. It was his shot making in death with two half-centuries. He had a in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC)
able because so many people are overs that gave him the spotlight. better outing in the next Ranji sea- Emerging Cup, scoring 31 runs in
competing and financially, it is ex- Since his debut in 2021 in the son, scoring 429 runs in six matches three innings in the tournament,
pensive. How will we manage every- T20 format, Jurel has played 23 and seven innings at an average of which saw India end as runners-up
thing is something on the mind? All matches, scoring 244 runs in 19 in- 71.50, with a century and fifty. His to Pakistan.
of that was flashing back, from where nings at an average of 20.33, with best score was 249. Continued on next page... >>

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