Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Chand Jurel (born 21 January 2001) is an Indian international cricketer who plays as a right-handed wicket-keeper-batter. He represents Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Jurel represented India at the Under-19 level and served as vice-captain of the Indian team at the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Jurel made his international Test debut for India against England in February 2024. He made an immediate impact during the series, particularly in the fourth Test at Ranchi, where his batting performances in both innings helped India secure victory. He was named Player of the Match for his performance.
Early life and family
Dhruv Chand Jurel was born on 21 January 2001 in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. His father served in the Indian Army and is a veteran of the Kargil War.
Jurel developed an interest in cricket at a young age. When he was five years old, he suffered an injury after his left leg became trapped under a bus tyre and subsequently underwent plastic surgery.
His parents played an important role in supporting his cricket ambitions. When Jurel was 14, his father took a loan to purchase a Kashmir willow bat for him, while his mother pawned her gold necklace to help purchase cricket equipment.
Jurel first became interested in cricket while attending a summer camp at his school. After becoming serious about the sport, he moved from Agra to train at a cricket academy in Noida. He subsequently represented Uttar Pradesh at the Under-14, Under-16 and Under-19 levels.
Under-19 career
Jurel's performances in youth cricket earned him selection to India's Under-19 setup. He was appointed vice-captain of the Indian squad for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in South Africa.
His involvement with the Indian Under-19 team provided an early indication of his potential as a wicket-keeper-batter and helped establish him as one of India's promising young cricketers.
Domestic career
Jurel made his Twenty20 debut for Uttar Pradesh on 10 January 2021 against Punjab in the 2020–21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
He made his first-class debut for Uttar Pradesh on 17 February 2022 against Vidarbha in the 2021–22 Ranji Trophy. His performances in domestic cricket subsequently helped him attract attention from IPL franchises and the Indian national selectors.
Jurel made his List A debut for India A on 14 July 2023 against United Arab Emirates A during the 2023 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
In August 2025, he was appointed captain of Central Zone for the 2025–26 Duleep Trophy.
Indian Premier League
In February 2022, Jurel was bought by Rajasthan Royals during the IPL auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League season.
He made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals against Punjab Kings on 5 April 2023 in Guwahati. Jurel scored an unbeaten 32 from 15 deliveries, immediately attracting attention for his aggressive lower-order batting.
His ability to score quickly and contribute as a wicket-keeper helped him establish himself in Rajasthan Royals' playing XI.
International career
In January 2024, Jurel received his first call-up to the Indian Test squad for the first two matches of India's home series against England.
He made his Test debut for India on 15 February 2024 against England in the third Test at Rajkot. In his first Test innings, Jurel scored 46 runs from 104 deliveries. He did not bat in India's second innings after India declared at 430/4.
Ranchi Test
Jurel's breakthrough international performance came in the fourth Test against England at Ranchi.
In India's first innings, he scored a crucial 90 runs from 149 deliveries. With wickets falling around him and England gaining control of the match, Jurel's innings helped India remain competitive.
In the second innings, he again played a decisive role. He helped prevent an Indian batting collapse and formed a crucial partnership with Shubman Gill. Jurel remained unbeaten on 39 from 77 deliveries and was involved in the partnership that guided India to victory.
His performances in both innings earned him the Player of the Match award. The victory also gave India an unassailable 3–1 lead in the five-match series.
The Ranchi Test established Jurel as one of India's promising wicket-keeper-batters and was widely regarded as the defining early performance of his international career.
2025 England tour
During India's 2025 Test series in England, Jurel served as India's substitute wicket-keeper after Rishabh Pant suffered injuries during the series.
He again took on wicket-keeping duties as a substitute during the fourth Test when Pant was unable to continue because of injuries to his foot and finger.
International century
During the second Test of India's 2026 series against Sri Lanka, Jurel scored his maiden overseas Test century and his second Test hundred overall.
He remained unbeaten on 115 runs from 177 deliveries, marking an important milestone in his international career and further strengthening his credentials as a Test wicket-keeper-batter.
Playing style
Jurel is a right-handed batter and wicket-keeper. As a batter, he is capable of playing both conventional Test-match innings and aggressive strokes in limited-overs cricket.
His wicket-keeping ability and batting versatility have made him a valuable player in both domestic cricket and the IPL. He is particularly noted for his composure under pressure, an attribute demonstrated during his match-winning performance against England in Ranchi.