Young wicketkeeper batsman Dhruv Jurel has been included in the Indian team for the 5-match Test series against England. Let us tell you, Dhruv Jurel has performed very well in Indian domestic cricket and that is why he will be seen playing for the Indian team in the Test series against England.

Dhruv Jurel has also participated in the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals and he batted very well in this tournament too and won the hearts of many people. Recently he said in an interview that it is because of Rajasthan Royals that he is at this position today.

What was your first reaction when you were included in the Indian team and what did you tell your parents?

I was very surprised. I was with India A team and we were playing a 2-day match against England Lions. This news came late at night. I immediately called my father and told him this and his first question was, ‘Which Indian team?’ You are still playing with one team, right? I said in which Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play. Neither did he believe it nor did I.

Did you receive any call or message from Rajasthan Royals franchise to congratulate you?

Yes, I spoke to Director of High Performance Zubin Bharucha sir and I also got messages from Kumar Sangakkara, Siddharth Lahiri, Dishant Yagnik sir. Everyone was very happy. Zubin sir has always supported me and I remember I told him that my time will also come.

I also got a message from Jos Buttler Bhai and he had written, ‘It is good that you have been included in the Indian team and you will go far.’

Kumar Sangakkara recently praised you a lot when you were included in the Indian team. How do you feel when great players praise you?

I had read this and to be honest, I am grateful to him and Rajasthan Royals. Full credit goes to the coach, support staff, my teammates and the entire franchise. When I was nothing, he selected me in his team and now I have joined the senior Indian team. The kind of support I have received has increased my confidence even more. Not only this, when I played the IPL season, Sanju Samson Bhai also helped me a lot and told me about many things.

How did Rajasthan Royals help you as a player last year?

Apart from IPL, Rajasthan franchise also conducted some off-season camps. This helped me a lot and Zubin sir also supported me a lot in the nets. I spent a lot of time in the nets.

What would you like to say about your journey from India U19 to the senior Indian team?

In the India U19 team, I got to know the foreign conditions very well and also learned a lot from playing on different pitches. My first season with the Rajasthan team was good. There is a lot of difference between Test cricket and All Limited Over cricket and I want to perform well with confidence in all three formats.

You are going to join the Indian Test team very soon, you will share the dressing room with the senior players and with your Rajasthan team players, how do you feel?

The first thing I will learn is that from such series you should be fully prepared mentally and play the game at a high level. There are many players who are given a chance but only a few make their place forever. On a big stage, when people’s eyes are on you, it is very important for you to perform consistently. Players also have to face a lot of criticism on bad days. This is what I’m trying to understand about all this.

The cricketing journey of you and Yashasvi Jaiswal seems quite interesting but both of you play together in Rajasthan and now you will also be together in the dressing room of the Indian Test team, did you talk to him after your selection?

Yashasvi and I know each other very well and we have been playing cricket together for a long time. We have also played U19 together and had a lot of fun. He was the first one who messaged me and said that I am very happy for you and this selection has been very right.

What mantra do you want to keep with you always as a cricketer?

When I was a child, I was very stubborn about playing cricket. Studies are very important but I always wanted to progress in sports. I told my family about it and my father supported me a lot. I studied in army school and the days are short in the cold. My father used to bring my clothes to school and I would change in the washroom and then go to play at the academy and come back home at night.

Because of me, my family members have had to face a lot of problems but they have always supported me and I am very happy for this. My father used to sew my batting gloves and there was also a ball hanging in my room with which I used to practice daily. My mother used to give me almonds every day which kept me quite healthy. My family members have supported me a lot.

What’s one milestone you’ve achieved in your 2024 and anything else that’s on your mind?

I want to get better every day and I don’t expect much. When I started playing cricket, I used to enjoy it and now I will do the same in future also.