Dhruv Jurel opens up about sledging incident with Joe Root
Rising Indian cricket star, Dhruv Jurel, recently shared an unexpected sledging encounter with England's Joe Root during his Test debut series earlier this year. Despite a strong start with 46 runs in Rajkot, Jurel found himself in a challenging position in the subsequent Ranchi Test. India were struggling at 161/5 against England's first innings total of 353 when he stepped onto the field alongside Sarfaraz Khan. Here's more.
Jurel's overnight strategy and encounter with Anderson
Jurel managed to score an unbeaten 30, taking India's score to 219/7 at stumps alongside Kuldeep Yadav. He revealed that he spent the night strategizing for the next day, contemplating whether to pursue a half-century with the old or new ball. "I could not sleep that night. I was not out on 30," the wicketkeeper batter told Jatin Sapru on his YouTube channel.
Root's surprising sledging despite IPL camaraderie
Jurel was caught off guard when Root, his former Indian Premier League (IPL) team-mate, started sledging him. "He was all aggressive by then and was continuously sledging," Jurel said. Despite their previous IPL camaraderie, Root explained his actions by saying: 'We are all playing for our country now.' This incident marked a significant moment in Jurel's early Test career.
Jurel's heroic innings led India to victory
Despite the sledging incident, Jurel remained unfazed and delivered a match-winning performance. He scored a commendable 90 runs in the first innings and added another 39 in the second, helping India chase down a target of 192. He secured the Player of the Match award as India triumphed by five wickets. This achievement underscored Jurel's resilience and potential as a rising star in Indian cricket.
Jurel's return to Test cricket against Bangladesh
The BCCI selection committee has backed Jurel for the upcoming Test opener against Bangladesh next week following his standout performance. He will compete for a spot in the playing XI against Rishabh Pant, who's returning to the team. This opportunity marks another significant step in Jurel's budding Test career as he continues to make his mark on international cricket.
Jurel's Test and First-Class cricket numbers
For India, Jurel has amassed 190 runs in three matches (four innings) at an average of 63.33, with a highest score of 90. He has smashed 12 boundaries and seven sixes and owns one fifty. In his First-Class career, he has played 19 matches racking up 982 runs at an average of 44.63. Jurel has scored one ton and six fifties, and his highest score is 249 in FC cricket.
