Dhruv Jurel, the young Indian wicketkeeper-batter, says he’s playing with total freedom thanks to strong support from head coach Gautam Gambhir. This comes just before India’s first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad, set to start on Thursday.
Jurel is back in the Test squad after captaining India A to a thrilling five-wicket win over Australia A in their second unofficial Test. He chipped in with a solid 56 off 66 balls during a massive 412-run chase in Lucknow, helping seal the victory.
With Rishabh Pant sidelined by a foot injury, the 24-year-old Jurel steps up as the likely wicketkeeper for the series opener against the Caribbean team. In a BCCI video, Jurel shared how Gambhir’s words have boosted his confidence on the field.
“Whenever I talk to the coach, he tells me to play openly. He backs me 100 percent and says just express yourself, stay humble, and put in the hard work,” Jurel explained. “It feels great knowing he’s got my back. When I step out to bat, I don’t overthink—I just play.”
Jurel recently toured England with the Indian team for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, which ended in a 2-2 draw. That was Shubman Gill’s first gig as Test captain, and Jurel, who shares a close bond with him, praised Gill’s natural leadership.
“I’ve always clicked well with Shubman Gill. During his debut captaincy in England, it didn’t feel like his first time at all,” Jurel said. “He gets the game, lifts the whole team, and leads without even trying to act like a captain.”
Jurel’s last India outing was the fifth Test against England at The Oval. He joined the side after Pant got injured on day one of the fourth Test in Manchester. Now, with this surprise chance, Jurel is determined to grab it.
“It was tough seeing what happened to Rishabh—really painful,” he noted. “I stepped in to replace him. I’ve trained hard, and playing for India is every cricketer’s dream. I’m pumped to contribute and give my best for the team.”
The India Test squad for the West Indies series includes: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N Jagadeesan (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav.
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