RR’s wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel honoured his father, Nem Chand, by dedicating his half-century against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Nem Chand was in attendance at the Ekana Stadium during the IPL 2024 match on Saturday, April 27th.
Jurel reached his fifty in a mere 31 deliveries and paid tribute to his father during this significant occasion. Dhruv’s father is a retired Kargil War veteran from the Indian Army, and the young cricketer has openly expressed that his ‘salute’ celebration is dedicated to him.
Jurel had replicated the ‘salute’ gesture while playing for India during the Ranchi Test against England earlier this year. This celebration followed his remarkable innings of 90 runs, which played a crucial role in the hosts’ resurgence.
Dhruv Jurel shares his thoughts on his innings of 52 not out from 34 deliveries
In pursuit of a target of 196 runs, RR found themselves at 78/3 when Dhruv Jurel stepped onto the field to join skipper Sanju Samson. At that point, it appeared to be a challenging chase for the Royals. However, both Jurel and Samson steadily handled the pressure and started shifting the momentum in favour of the visitors.
In an interview with the host broadcaster after the match, here’s what Jurel had to share about his innings:
“The idea was to finish the game whenever I got an opportunity. This position is sometimes a curse when you don’t finish it and sometimes a blessing when you help your team win. Sanju bhai told me to react according to deliveries and not premeditate shots. Once we got a big over of around 20 runs, it became easier.”
In the eight innings preceding the match against LSG this season, Jurel had only managed to score 50 runs and didn’t receive many opportunities to make an impact. However, his unbeaten 52 against Lucknow will instil significant confidence in both him and the Royals for future matches.
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