India vs England 2024

Dhruv Jurel admits Test call up was shocking; hopes to keep legendary finisher’s advice in mind for journey ahead

Dhruv Jurel’s cricketing journey has taken a thrilling turn in recent times. He was unexpectedly selected for the England Tests and is now getting to rub shoulders with some remarkable players like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah. It’s been a meteoric rise for the youngster who burst onto the scene with his explosive finishing in IPL 2023. Even Jurel himself admits he was left speechless by his Test call-up.

“We were having practice that day and it ended late in the evening. So, I was just going to sleep, and I casually opened the Indian Cricket Board TV and saw my name in the announced squad. I was literally in shock. Every kid playing cricket dreams of playing for the Indian national team. While seeing my name, I thought that I am living a dream,” he said while speaking to JioCinema recently.

Dhoni’s advice in Jurel’s mind as he looks to level up

The young gun, like many aspiring wicketkeeper-batters in India, idolizes the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. During the IPL 2023, their paths crossed, and Jurel seized the opportunity to ask Dhoni about his batting mindset. As Jurel recalls, Dhoni’s advice was simple yet profound: focus solely on the ball and avoid overthinking.

“I have always been the biggest fan of MS Dhoni. Last year, I got a chance to speak to him and I asked him, ‘What is your mindset when you are going inside?’. He simply said, ‘Just watch the ball and play. Don’t think about anything. Whatever pressure is coming, it’s coming from outside,” Jurel said.

Building on Dhoni’s advice, Jurel shared that ‘Captain Cool’ emphasized trusting the skills that had brought Jurel to the IPL. Dhoni stressed the importance of silencing self-doubt and staying process-oriented, focusing on playing each ball on its merit rather than worrying about the outcome. “You just have to visualize how you are going to play a bowler. Just let it be, get your preparation done, and just watch the ball. You have already done so much, that’s why you are here, just don’t doubt yourself, go out and play, and express yourself. Don’t worry about the result, focus on the process,” he said.