'I was pinching myself to see whether it's a dream' - Dhruv Jurel reveals first interaction with MS Dhoni

Youngster Dhruv Jurel looked impressive in his debut match for India against England in Rajkot. He made 46 runs with the bat and looked sharp behind the stumps, which impressed skipper Rohit Sharma. Meanwhile, ahead of the fourth Test in Ranchi, Jurel opened up about the legendary cricketer MS Dhoni and revealed the advice that the current Chennai Super Kings captain had given him.

Jurel remarked that he had first met Dhoni in IPL 2021 and was shy in asking for a photograph after Rajasthan Royals’ game against CSK. The 23-year-old revealed that it was a dream-come-true moment for him and added that he has always learned something or the other from Dhoni during their interactions and is keen on meeting him again during India’s fourth Test.

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“I was just watching him and I stood up and started thinking whether this is MS Dhoni standing in front of me. My first interaction with him was in IPL 2021, which was my first season. At that time, I was pinching myself to see whether it is a dream or not,” Jurel said in a video posted by BCCI.

“My dream is to meet Mahi bhai, especially after the match after an international game. Whenever I have talked to him, I have always learnt something new from him so I hope that I get a chance to meet him during the fourth Test at Ranchi,” he added.

Courtesy of his gritty knock with the bat and his impressive keeping skills, Jurel has sealed his place in the playing XI. In the absence of Rishabh Pant, the Indian team tried KS Bharat for the majority part but the cricketer failed to justify his skills with the bat. The team management later tried Ishan Kishan and he was poised to get more opportunities but the cricketer opted out, citing mental fatigue.

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That opened the door for Jurel, who capitalized on his debut match. He is likely to retain his place in the ongoing series, and if he keeps up the good performances, the cricketer could also bag a central contract for himself.