It took me a while to adapt myself to demands of red-ball cricket: Jurel

Dhruv Jurel first made headlines at the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), where he was a dominant force in the Rajasthan Royals’ outfit. The 22-year-old smacked 152 runs in the tournament, with a high strike-rate of 172.7, including impressing one and all in the clash against Punjab Kings. 

Even at the First-Class level, the right-hander has impressive numbers, with an average of 46.47, leading to an India ‘A’ cap. The journey didn’t stop there, with the Uttar Pradesh wicketkeeper earning himself a maiden call-up to the national team. 

Despite the seamless transition, Jurel insisted that it took a while for him to adapt himself to the demands of the red-ball format. 

"As part of India U19, I gained massive exposure playing in foreign conditions and different types of pitches. Then with the Royals, I had a good first IPL season. And that was all white-ball cricket," Jurel told Rajasthan Royals’ official website. 

"But then came the longer format, and that's a different ball game altogether. It took me a while to adapt myself to the demands of red-ball cricket.”

When asked about what the youngster would want to take away from the series against England, he insisted that it is ‘mental fortitude’.

"The most important learning that I'd want to take away from this series is how to develop the mental fortitude that is needed to survive at the highest level. A lot of players get call-ups, but only a few are able to sustain themselves,” he added. 

Also Read: Why did India pick Jurel, Avesh and Kuldeep for England Tests?

"Once you're in the public eye on a much bigger stage, you are constantly judged on your performances. So I really want to know how these players deal with bad days, how they face criticism and pressure. I am going to try and absorb it all."

When he received his call-up, the 22-year-old was busy representing the India ‘A’ side in the series against the England Lions. Jurel only managed to register a duck in the opener before making a brisk 69 in the second clash. 

"I was shocked. I was with the India A team, we were playing against the England Lions in a two-day match," Jurel said.

"The news broke late in the night and when I found out, I immediately called my father to tell him and his first question was, 'Which Indian team? Aren't you already playing for one of them?'. I said, 'The same one in which Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play'. He couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it too."