AGRA: In a country of over a billion, cricket dreams are common — but few live the journey that Dhruv Jurel has. From being the son of a soldier who fought in the Kargil War to wearing the India jersey, his story goes beyond cricket. Once known simply as his father’s son, today it is a different story. Wherever Nem Singh Jurel goes, people say, “Woh rahe Dhruv ke papa (He is Dhruv Jurel’s father)” — and what follows is a proud smile on Nem’s face with folded hands of gratitude.Dhruv first became a household name in Agra’s Defence Colony when he led India’s Under-19 team to the Asia Cup title in September 2019. But the day he got his senior team call-up, his parents, Rajini and Nem, couldn’t hold back their tears. Now, if you go to Defence Colony and say Dhruv Jurel’s name, people will respond with, “Woh jo India ke liye khelta hai na? (The one who plays for India),” and they’ll smile and gladly guide you to his home.But the success has come with immense struggle.“He wanted to play cricket, but I just wasn’t financially prepared for it. Cricket is an expensive sport. I had only one dream — that he clears the NDA and joins the Indian Army,” Dhruv’s father, Nem Singh Jurel, told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“But one day, he got upset. I even scolded and hit him. He locked himself in the bathroom and told his mother that if I didn’t buy him a cricket kit, he would run away from home. His words, his tears — they broke her. That very day, she sold her gold chain. With whatever money we got, we bought him his first cricket kit.”Dhruv didn’t say a word. He took the kit, and from that moment, his cricketing journey began. When he lifted that first kit onto his shoulders, he never looked back.In one college tournament, he swept all the top awards — Man of the Match, Man of the Series, Best Fielder, Best Catch, and more. The awards were so many that his father struggled to carry them on his scooty.“I can never forget that moment — my scooty was loaded, and his big bag was full of awards,” he said with pride.“The weight of that bag felt special. That day, I realised I had been wrong. From then on, I stood by him. I bought him new pads — he was playing with torn ones — and gloves too. Since that day, I’ve been with him through every high and low.”“As a soldier, there was always that deep pride — I wanted my son to serve the nation too,” he added.“In Agra, people knew me well. But now, thanks to Dhruv, they know me for another reason. He changed the story completely.”When Dhruv got his first IPL contract with Rajasthan Royals, the memory of his mother selling her gold chain came flooding back. So he decided to gift her something she never expected.“When Dhruv got his first IPL contract — Rs 20 lakh — he came home with gold. He gave some money to me to cover financial issues. With the rest, he bought gold jewellery for his mother — the same she once had to sell for his cricket. He made her close her eyes and handed it to her. She was shocked. He said, ‘Mummy, I’ve never forgotten that day when you took that step for me. I’ll do even more for you now,’” the father said.A HANUMAN BHAKTIt all began at the Springdale Cricket Academy, where Dhruv’s father took him to meet coach Parvendra Yadav. Like he did with every new student, Parvendra asked Dhruv to pad up and face a few throwdowns. But as soon as he saw the young boy striking the ball cleanly and launching sixes with ease, Parvendra made up his mind — he would train him.“His father is a wonderful human being and genuinely wanted his son to grow in cricket,” coach Parvendra Sharma told TimesofIndia.com.“When I first saw Dhruv, his hand-eye coordination stood out — that’s when I decided to coach him. He was extremely humble. And being an armyman’s son, he was naturally disciplined. Punctuality, dedication, and hard work were part of his daily routine. He used to bring his tiffin, come early in the morning, spend long hours in the nets — facing both spinners and pacers — and end the day with catching practice before heading home.”The coach believes divine blessings have played a role in Dhruv’s rise too.“Lord Hanuman’s blessings are with him,” Parvendra added.“There’s a Hanuman temple right in front of the academy. Every morning, before stepping into practice, Dhruv visits the temple and takes blessings. Even after winning matches, his chant is ‘Bajrang Bali ki Jai.’ Whenever Dhruv is in Agra, he visits the academy, spends time with the kids, and even plays cricket with them.”“Dhruv was always clear about his dream. He always used to say, ‘Sir, I want to play for India — and I want to play Test cricket for as long as I can.’”JOURNEY: INDIA CALL-UP AND ENGLAND SERIESDhruv had already represented India at the Under-19 level, but the ultimate dream was always to represent the Indian senior team.Questions like “Bhai, India ke liye kab khelega? Virat, Rohit ke saath TV pe kab dikhega? (When are you going to play for India? When will we see you playing with Rohit and Virat?)” were common — asked by friends, relatives, and neighbours. Dhruv would always smile and reply, “Jaldi hi” (soon).And then, the day arrived.“One night around 11 PM, Dhruv came to me and said, ‘Papa, I’ve been selected.’ I said, ‘Of course you’ve been selected — you’re playing for India now!’ He replied, ‘No, Papa — I’ve been selected to play with Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah… in the same team!’ That night, I couldn’t sleep. Calls poured in — from friends, coaches, everyone who knew me. I had goosebumps. Just like I once wore the Indian flag on my shoulder at the border, now Dhruv was going to wear it on the field. I’ve always said this proudly — I once served in the Indian Army, and now my son serves the nation in Team India. We both have worn the Tricolour,” his father said.“He always noticed everything — how I dressed, wore my cap, saluted. He’d watch closely. If a cap fell on the ground, he’d pick it up respectfully and touch it to his forehead. He had that sense of honour for the nation from a young age. Honestly, I thought he’d join the army,” he added.Since then, Dhruv has featured in four Test matches and is currently in England as part of the Indian squad for the upcoming five-match Test series, starting June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.A WICKETKEEPER BY CHANCEDhruv is making waves in international cricket and the IPL with his agility behind the stumps. His sharp glovework — the speed with which he collects the ball and whips off the bails — has earned praise from many quarters.Interestingly, wicketkeeping wasn’t part of the original plan. It came to Dhruv by accident.“Originally, he was a batsman. But his coach Parvendra Yadav noticed his incredible fielding and suggested he try keeping. He never hesitated, even with bruised hands and injuries. Six months before his Under-14 debut, we got him gloves — and he nailed his trials. That’s how he became a keeper-batsman,” his father said.BIG ENGLAND SERIESWith Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepping away from the Test format, the doors have opened for the next generation. For a youngster like Dhruv, this is a golden opportunity to cement his place in the side.“After coming back from Australia, he did say — it was one of the toughest tours he had ever played, especially alongside senior cricketers. Now, England will be another test for him. I don’t know too much technically, but I read papers and follow updates on my phone — from what I see, the pitches there are hard, they bounce more, they turn too,” the father said.“It’s a big opportunity for everyone — even for Dhruv as a youngster. If India wins this series, it’ll be a big deal. With Rohit and Virat resting now, new boys will get their chance,” he added.
