Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has opened up about the cricketers who have inspired him. The 23-year-old is set to feature in India’s opening Test against Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, beginning on Friday, November 22, in Perth.
Ahead of the series, during the ‘On the Mic’ segment on Star Sports, the young batter discussed his cricketing idols, naming four Indian players and one former South African captain. He shared:
“Virender Sehwag—my family used to watch him in the beginning—AB de Villiers because of his innovation, the calmness of MS Dhoni, the aggression of Virat Kohli, and the ease of Rohit Sharma. There are so many cricketers from whom I’ve drawn inspiration.”
The Uttar Pradesh cricketer also shared that his greatest dream was to play Test cricket for India, recalling how he would set alarms to watch India’s tours to places like Australia and New Zealand. Now, with this opportunity ahead of him, the keeper-batter is excited and hopeful for a chance to play. Jurel said:
“To be honest, I never really thought about it. That’s what life is—full of surprises. From childhood, my biggest dream was to play Test cricket for India. This is a huge achievement, especially the goal to play in SENA countries.”
“I remember setting alarms for matches in Australia, New Zealand, and England due to the time zone difference. I was always excited, and now, being here, I’m hopeful for a chance to play. Though nervous, I’m still very excited and looking forward to it,” he added.
The 23-year-old made his debut for India earlier this year during the series against England, where he delivered a strong performance, accumulating 190 runs in three matches, including a half-century.
“We know challenges lie ahead, but we are prepared to tackle them”- Dhruv Jurel on 2024-2025 BGT
The young keeper-batter recognized that the 2024-25 BGT will be a tough challenge, particularly following India’s recent whitewash by New Zealand in a three-match Test series at home. Nevertheless, Jurel stated that Team India is highly motivated and prepared to face any challenges that come their way.
“I can’t deny that this is a difficult tour, especially after how the last series went. We are very excited and pumped up, and we are here to give it our all. So We are looking forward to every challenge. We know there will be challenges, but we are ready to overcome them,” Jurel said in the same interaction.
Jurel played a crucial role in the India A team during the second unofficial Test against Australia A, where he was the standout performer, scoring half-centuries (80 and 68) in both innings.
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