Dhruv Jurel beat odds to break records, rising star of Indian cricket

Agra, the city best known for the Taj Mahal, Dhruv Jurel fell in love too, not with a person, but with cricket. The 24-year-old right-hand batter was the son of a Kargil War veteran and was born on January 21, 2001, in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Raised in an army background, Jurel’s early aspirations leaned towards following in his father’s footsteps into the army. Destiny had other plans for him after he picked up the bat at a summer camp, which would eventually mark the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

Due to financial limitations, Jurel’s family went through many hardships in order to support his cricketing journey. To support her son’s dream, Jurel’s mother made a tough choice; she sold her only gold necklace to buy her son’s first cricket kit. This gesture and determination of her mother towards Jurel’s budding career laid the foundation for a great player in the making.

Dhruv Jurel quickly rose to a leadership role when he represented Uttar Pradesh in the U-14, U-16 and U-19 categories. He captained India to victory in the Under-19 Asia Cup while he served as the vice-captain in the 2020 U-19 World Cup.

In the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, Rajasthan Royals bought him for a contract of ₹20 lakhs. He was benched during that season. Jurel announced himself in style during his IPL debut against Punjab Kings, smashing an unbeaten 32 off 15 balls. Since then he’s made a solid record by scoring 347 runs in 28 matches at a strike rate of 151.52.

During the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 season, he scored a double century against Nagaland, making a total of 249 runs. He displayed exceptional wicketkeeping skills when he levelled MS Dhoni’s record of seven catches in a Duleep Trophy innings.

His breakthrough moment came when he earned the Indian Test cap against England in Rajkot in 2024. He earned his spot in the Indian squad after scoring a crucial 90 and an unbeaten 39, becoming the ‘Player of the Match’ in Ranchi.