Dhruv Jurel Reveals What Did MS Dhoni Tell Him On Their First Meeting

Dhruv Jurel, son of a Kargil war veteran, got his maiden international call-up and was included in the national team squad for the first two Tests against England in the five-match Test series set to commence on January 25. He is a young wicketkeeper-batter who plays for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and keeps wickets for Uttar Pradesh in the domestic circuit. Dhruv Jurel has a terrific first-class record as he has scored 790 runs in 19 innings at an average of 46.47.

Dhruv Jurel has smashed five half-centuries and a century in first-class cricket. His only century in domestic cricket was a massive 249 which came against Nagaland in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy. He smashed 26 fours and two sixes in his innings of 249 and also won the Player of The Match for his performance. The 22-year-old keeper-batter got the opportunity to share the dressing room with the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Recently, in an exclusive interview with the Times of India (TOI), he talked about his meeting with the former Indian skipper and legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhruv Jurel considers MS Dhoni as his idol and he got the privilege to meet him during Rajasthan Royals’ match against Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023. He talked about how he tries to emulate his calmness on the field and what he has learned from him.

“Yes. I learned the art of captaincy from MS Dhoni sir. I always tried to emulate one thing – calmness”, he said. Jurel then talked about how he tried incorporating Dhoni’s attitude and how it helped him while he was captaining India in the Under-19 Asia Cup. He considers MS Dhoni his role model and said that he was grateful to meet him in the IPL.

“The way he handles any situation with his calm and composed demeanour is just amazing. I watched his videos as a kid and when I got the chance to lead the Under-19 team in the Asia Cup, I tried to incorporate that attitude in my captaincy, batting and keeping and those worked really well. Dhoni is my role model. He is a legend. The way he has led the Indian side and guided bowlers from behind the wickets is incredible. I was grateful that I could meet him during the IPL.”

Dhruv Jurel then revealed the conversation he had with the Indian legend and what advice he received from the former Indian skipper. “Ahead of the match against CSK, I went to MS Dhoni sir and asked him one question – ‘Sir, you come in and bat at 6 or 7 and you are so consistent”

“He said – ‘If you find yourself coming in to bat at the 6th or 7th position, the unpredictability of the pitch, the unknown bowler approaching, the varying pace, and the anticipated variations can be overwhelming. Despite the uncertainties, you’re tasked with stepping onto the field and immediately engaging with the ball—a role that often goes unnoticed and unappreciated.”

Dhruv Jurel Said That MS Dhoni Asked Him To Live In The Moment And Not Think About The Result

Dhruv Jurel said that MS Dhoni focused on consistency during the conversation and advised him to block external noise and maintain focus and resilience. Dhoni also advised Jurel to trust in his abilities without any self-doubt.

“Consistency becomes paramount, as everyone is aware of the limited number of balls, urging you to maximize every delivery. The constant scrutiny for not scoring runs intensifies, creating external pressure. The key is to block out the external noise, maintaining focus and resilience. The advice received was to adhere to the game plan and trust in one’s abilities without self-doubt.”

At Last, MS Dhoni advised him to never think of the result and always live in the moment while following the process. If one gives their best at the moment without any thoughts about the future, they are bound to succeed. Dhruv Jurel said that Dhoni’s tips will help him in the Test series against England if he gets an opportunity to showcase his talent.

“This is the best way to go forward. If your plan fails, then make another plan and execute it. It is a process and you have to follow this.’ He further added – ‘never to think about the result. Live in the moment and follow the process. If you give your best at the moment without thinking about the future, you will succeed.’ I had a good session with him in the IPL. It was a dream come true for me to meet my childhood hero. His tips will help me in the England series.”

The Test series between India and England will commence on January 25 as the first Test starts at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The other four venues of the series are Vishakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala. Dhruv Jurel is a part of the Indian Team for the first two Tests and after the conclusion of the second Test, a new squad will be announced for the last three Tests of the series.

It is unlikely that Dhruv Jurel will get to play in the Test series as the other two choices for wicketkeeping are KL Rahul and KS Bharat, both of which are way up in the pecking order. However, just being a part of the Indian squad will be a huge honour for the youngster as he will be wearing the India jersey and will share the dressing room with veterans and Legends.