Young Indian wicket-keeper batter Dhruv Jurel has opened up about the vital advice he received from the legendary Indian skipper MS Dhoni during the Indian Premier League. The 23-year-old received his first call-up to the Indian side during the ongoing five-match Test series against England.
During the high-octane home series, India has picked Jurel as one of their three wicketkeeper-batsmen. The 22-year-old has shown great promise as a young talent in the IPL 2023 and has even made it into the India A side. Jurel has scored 790 runs in 15 matches, averaging 46, which includes a century and five fifties on the domestic circuit.
Speaking on Jiocinema, Dhruv Jurel opened up about his admiration for the legendary MS Dhoni and revealed a conversation he had with the CSK skipper, saying that the former Indian skipper advised him to keep things simple and play to the merit of the ball rather than thinking about outside pressure and that he wants the youngster to focus more on process than results.
“I have always been the biggest fan of MS Dhoni. Last year, I got a chance to speak to him and I asked him, ‘What is your mindset when you are going inside?’ He simply said, ‘Just watch the ball and play. Don’t think about anything. Whatever pressure is coming, it’s coming from outside”.
“You have to visualize how you are going to play a bowler. Just let it be, get your preparation done, and just watch the ball. You have already done so much, that’s why you are here, just don’t doubt yourself, go out and play, and express yourself. Don’t worry about the result, focus on the process,” Dhruv Jurel said.
Dhruv Jurel made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last season for the Rajasthan Royals and has since shown improvement across all formats. He was selected for the Emerging Teams Asia Cup squad and later went on to South Africa with the India A team, where he kept wickets during the second unofficial Test match.
I Enjoy Every Moment The Ball Comes To Me – Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel expressed his love for keeping wickets, stating that it keeps him more involved in the game. He also mentioned that he prefers wicket-keeping to batting in all formats and enjoys every moment when the ball comes to him.
“I enjoy wicket-keeping. I enjoy the fact that the ball is coming to me, I am very involved in the game. The ball comes the most to a keeper in a match”.
“Even more than batting, I love wicket-keeping. In any format you play, the ball has to come to me and I enjoy it. It’s not a burden for me, I enjoy every moment the ball comes to me,” Dhruv Jurel added.
Dhruv Jurel caught the attention of cricket fans and experts during the final season of the IPL, where he made multiple cameo appearances for the Rajasthan Royals. His impressive shots throughout the season added to his growing popularity. With the Indian team suffering from a series of injuries, the talented wicket-keeper batter from Uttar Pradesh is likely to play a crucial role in the upcoming series.
