During the first four-day game between India A and Australia A at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow last week, Dhruv Jurel once again underlined his temperament and adaptability. His timely 140 had not only kept India A afloat in a drawn game but also reinforced the belief among the selectors that he is ready to step into the role of India’s premier wicketkeeper-batter.
According to his childhood coach, Phoolchand Sharma, Jurel has settled into his role. “When a player knows he will be in the squad, he plays with a free mind,” he said.
On Thursday, India named its squad for the two-Test home series against West Indies, and with Rishabh Pant injured, Jurel is set to be the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter.
He was also handed the captaincy for the second four-day match against Australia A, his first leadership role in First-Class cricket. Phoolchand recalled that when Jurel was appointed captain, he immediately sought his blessings — a reflection of the respect and composure he has carried since his early days. “He likes taking responsibility,” the coach said.
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For Jurel, the shift in mindset has been clear. He admits that while he once focused on milestones, his experience in the national setup has taught him that the team’s success comes first. “Earlier, I used to think about scoring a century or a 150. But with time, I realised the team’s win is more important,” he had said after the first four-day game.
Jurel’s batting reflects that maturity: steady, classical, and built on composure — a contrast to Pant’s flamboyance. Phoolchand sees his strength primarily in wicketkeeping. “Pant is a better batter than Jurel — he’s a batter-keeper, while Jurel is a keeper-bat. Jurel’s keeping is more polished. He’s the best wicketkeeper in India at the moment,” he said.
In 27 First-Class matches, Jurel has scored 1,656 runs at an average of 48.70, with two centuries and 12 half-centuries. Behind the stumps, he has completed over 71 catches, showing consistency and sharp reflexes.
His journey, though, has been anything but straightforward. Born in Agra, he travelled to Noida to train at the Wonder’s Cricket Academy under Phoolchand. “He was 13 or 14 when he came to me. His grandfather had passed away at the time, so his father couldn’t accompany him because of the tehrvi (13th day ritual). After speaking to his father on the phone, I took him in,” Phoolchand recalled.
Jurel thrived in local tournaments, winning several Player of the Match awards, and trained alongside senior pros like Parvinder Awana and Tanmay Srivastava, often sharing nets with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Suresh Raina. “Everyone dreams of playing for India. When I got the Test cap, I felt mine had come true. Coming from a small city like Agra, I felt I made the people there proud… You can achieve your dreams irrespective of where you are coming from; you just need to work hard with passion,” Jurel said.
He was soon picked as India’s vice-captain at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, where the team finished runner-up. His IPL break came with the Rajasthan Royals in 2022, and the franchise retained him for INR 14 crore in the most recent edition. The RR management has praised his game awareness, with Kumar Sangakkara noting, “His work ethic and demeanour stand out,” when Jurel received his maiden Test call-up in 2024. Since then, he has played five Tests, including matches at Perth and the Oval, and four T20Is for India.
Phoolchand remains confident about his ward’s potential. “He’s god-gifted. He can play all formats. He’s already doing well in Tests, and in T20s, he has shown his ability with Rajasthan. I am sure he will make his ODI debut soon,” he said.
Published on Sep 25, 2025
