India wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel spoke about his celebration after reaching his half-century in the ongoing fourth Test against England in Jharkhand, Ranchi. He said his gesture after achieving the milestone was for his father, who was a war veteran from Kargil.
Dhurv Jurel was the hero of the day for India on Day 3 of the ongoing Ranchi Test. It looked like India would be outplayed after they were reduced to 177/7 in reply to England’s 353 in the first innings of the game at the Jharkhand Cricket Association complex.
When the chips were down, that’s when Dhruv Jurel stepped up for his team and got them out of trouble. The wicketkeeper-batsman, who made his debut in Rajkot Test, said that he played a vital hand for a team in a difficult situation, which will be remembered by many.
Dhruv Jurel steadied the ship and, along with Kuldeep Yadav, ensured that England did not advance further on Day 2, having taken 7 wickets. The batsman stood like a wall at the crease and ensured that India ended the day with no more misfortunes under their belt.
Dhruv Jurel, who scored 46 runs in Rajkot, made sure to reach his half-century this time. As soon as he reached the milestone, the keeper-batsman came up with a unique celebration. He made a greeting gesture and caught the attention of many.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Dhruv Jurel revealed that his father indirectly expressed his desire to see his son do something special. Remembering his father’s words, he explained:
“My father indirectly told me yesterday ek greeting to dikha de” (show me the greeting once). He was a Kargil war veteran, so my celebration was for him.”
Dhruv Jurel: My father indirectly told me yesterday “ek greeting to dikha de” (shout me the greeting once): he was a war veteran from Kargil, so my celebration was for him. pic.twitter.com/givPSx0Hb4
-Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) February 25, 2024
Dhruv Jurel’s hunger for runs did not stop after half a century as he was well aware that the job was not yet done. The batsman showed great composure despite being young and made sure to get his team as close as possible to England’s total.
The way Dhruv Jurel batted, he looked set for a century. However, it was not his intention as he fell short of the milestone by 10 runs. The keeper-batsman finished with an innings of 90 runs off 149 balls and also smashed 6 fours and 4 sixes in his innings.
I am not at all disappointed to miss the hundred – Dhruv Jurel
Dhurv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav added 76 runs in partnership for the eighth wicket. The understanding between the two was one of the highlights of their stand. The duo responded well to each other and played a pivotal role for the team.
Dhurv Jurel believes that being from the same state was one of the main reasons for his understanding with Kuldeep Yadav. The wicketkeeper-batsman also said that he is not disappointed about missing out on the century as all he wants to see is the team lifting the trophy. He added:
“Both Kuldeep and I come from UP, so there is understanding. It was useful. “I’m not at all disappointed about missing out on the hundred, I want the team to lift the trophy!”
After India came out for 307 runs, the players put in a sensational performance and defeated England for just 145 runs, setting a target of 192 runs to chase. In reply, Rohit Sharma (24*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (16*) added 40 runs and ended Day 3 on a high.