The Indian cricket team boasts a wealth of talent in the wicketkeeping department, and among the rising stars is 23-year-old Dhruv Jurel. The young keeper-batter has already made a strong impression early in his international career and has become a key asset for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Ahead of the IPL 2025 season, Jurel was retained by the franchise for a staggering INR 14 crore, outshining big names like Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal.
The decision to prioritize Jurel raised eyebrows, but it reflects a strategic vision by RR head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Sanju Samson. Both appear committed to grooming the Agra-born cricketer for a larger role in Indian cricket. Samson, in particular, has shown immense faith in Jurel’s potential, even expressing a willingness to share wicketkeeping duties with him during the IPL to support his development.
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Speaking to AB de Villiers on the latter’s YouTube channel, Samson revealed his thoughts on Jurel’s growth. “I haven’t shared this publicly before. Dhruv Jurel is at a crucial stage in his career, and I see him as a future Test wicketkeeper. He needs opportunities to keep wickets in the IPL as well,” Samson stated.
#SanjuSamson will give his WK position in IPL for 4-5 matches to Jurel. This is why we call him “The most Selfless guy” whereas selfish insecure Pant never did for anyone. Also DeVilliers calls himself a fanboy of Sanju.
Pant’s Dream is Samson’s reality 🥵 pic.twitter.com/JdBCL1qhhI— Rosh🧢 (@samson_zype) December 22, 2024
Sanju Samson elaborated further, adding, “We’ve discussed this, and I’ve told him, ‘Dhruv, you need to keep wickets in some games. It’s vital for your growth, and I fully support you.’ While I haven’t captained much as a fielder, I believe this adjustment will benefit him and the team. The team always comes first.”
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Jurel’s performances back this belief. He has already showcased his ability in the longest format, averaging an impressive 40.40 in Tests and 45.74 in First-Class cricket. In the BGT warm-up games, he stood out as one of India’s best batters. In the IPL, he has demonstrated his explosive capabilities, scoring 347 runs in 27 matches at a strike rate of 151.53.
With such promising talent and strong backing from his franchise and teammates, Dhruv Jurel is emerging as a key player for the future of Indian cricket.
