Dhruv Jurel

Dhruv Chand Jurel (born 21 January 2001) is an Indian international cricketer. He is a right-handed batter and wicket-keeper. He plays for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket and for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Early life and domestic career
Jurel was born in a Jat family in Agra on 21 January 2001. His father served the Indian army and is a Kargil war veteran. At the age of five, he had to have plastic surgery when his left leg was trapped under a bus tyre.

Dhruv Jurel attributes his selection to the Indian Test team to the sacrifices of his parents, highlighting his father's, a Kargil war veteran, initial reluctance due to financial constraints. When he was 14, his dad took out a loan to buy him a 2000 rupee (£20) Kashmir willow bat, and his mother pawned her only gold necklace to buy a kit bag.

He started playing cricket during a summer camp in his school. Over there, he saw some children playing cricket and it developed his interest in the game. He then left his home in Agra and went to train at a cricket academy in Noida, on Delhi’s outskirts. He played youth cricket for Uttar Pradesh's U-14, U-16 and U-19 teams.

Jurel made his Twenty20 debut on 10 January 2021 for Uttar Pradesh in the 2020–21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Prior to his T20 debut, he was named as the vice-captain of India's squad for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

In February 2022, he was bought by the Rajasthan Royals in the auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League tournament. He made his first-class debut on 17 February 2022, for Uttar Pradesh in the 2021–22 Ranji Trophy. Jurel made his debut for Rajasthan Royals against Punjab Kings at Guwahati on 5 April 2023, hitting 32*(15). This performance cemented Jurel's place in the side.

He made his List A debut on 14 July 2023, for India A against United Arab Emirates A, in the 2023 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.

International debut (2024-present)
In January 2024, he earned his maiden Indian call-up for first two tests vs England.

On 15 February 2024, Dhruv Jurel made his Test Debut for India in the third test against England in Rajkot. In his maiden test innings, he scored 46 off 104 balls, but did not get a chance to bat in the second innings, as India declared at 430/4 after lunch on day four.

In the fourth test against England at Ranchi, Jurel scored a crucial 90 runs off 149 balls in the first innings and kept India in the game as wickets fell around him and England took control. He turned out to be the highest run scorer in the innings for India. In the second innings, he stopped a collapse of the Indian batting side and stitched up a crucial 72 run partnership with Shubman Gill to steer India to victory with a gritty 39* run stand from 77 balls. In his second test itself Jurel was awarded as player of the match for his cruical knocks in both the innings which helped India to register victory over England in the match taking an unassailable lead of 3-1 in the 5 match series.