Kargil War veteran’s son Dhruv Jurel chooses cricket to serve nation

His father made the country proud on the battlefield. He has also chosen to achieve a similar target but in a different field. Meet Dhruv Jurel, the 18-year-old son of Kargil War veteran Nem Singh Jurel who has chosen to make a name of himself in the cricket field, unlike his father who wanted him to join the National Defence Academy.

Nem Singh, though, is not unhappy with his son’s passion for cricket. And Dhruv has already been an achiever for his father’s comfort. A wicketkeeper and top-order batsman, Dhruv will lead India in the U19 Youth Asia Cup in Colombo in September. Known to be agile behind the timber, Dhruv has also made the headlines with his batting pyrotechnics and the ability to bring the team out of challenging situations. Some even see shadows of the great Mahendra Singh Dhoni in his game already.

Dhruv loves challenges

Dhruv recently helped India’s U19 team win over Bangladesh in the final of a tri-nation tournament at Hove, England. Chasing 262, India U19 lost two quick wickets in between before the youngster slammed 59 not out to win it for his team. The lad even said that he loves challenges. “I relish opportunities when you walk out to bat with your team in trouble… that’s the kind of challenge I look forward to,” The Indian Express quoted Dhruv as saying.

Nem Singh has made peace with the fact that doing something for the country means the most. “It’s all about doing something for your country. I served the Army during the Kargil War, before retiring in 2008. Now, my son is also serving his country as a cricketer. Even though it’s a different field, the purpose is the same,” he was quoted as saying.

Nem Singh was not confident about his son’s progress as a cricketer earlier. He had enrolled him at Agra’s Springdale Academy when he was barely 10 and it all changed for the better in 2015 when a 14-year-old Dhruv smashed a 21-ball 100 in a local T20 game. But it was when Nem Singh heard him yet-to-be-content son saying that the ground was too small, that he understood that his son indeed has a burning hunger. The boy now aims to make the national team.

Watch: 8 Wonders of International Cricket