Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has attributed his rise in cricket to the Rajasthan Royals’ support and elite coaching setup.
Speaking on AB de Villiers' 360 Show, Jurel, who has already played for India in Tests and T20Is, elaborated on how the Royals' year-round academy and top-tier mentorship have been pivotal in his overall development as a player.
“The best thing about Rajasthan Royals is that they have an academy, which is open for 12 months,” Jurel said.
The Rajasthan Royals Academy, which has high performance centres in Jaipur, Nagpur and Pune, along with a global network, offers cricketers year-round access to elite coaching and facilities.
“You can go there, you can call them and they conduct everything from net bowlers to everything else. So I was like, I got this chance, I just want to make it count. So I used to call Zubin (Barucha) sir and he is the kind of guy who never sits,” Jurel added.
“I told him (Zubin Barucha) that I just wanted to get better. He said, ‘I am here to help you out,’ and he always likes heavy bats, swing balls, wet balls and everything. I used to bat like seven to eight hours and it made a huge impact on my life in terms of my cricketing skills. So whatever I am here today is because of Zubin sir,” he added.
The 24-year-old Jurel, who has been with the Royals since 2023 and has made three fifties for the team, also mentioned how Rajasthan Royals’ coaches help their players tackle challengers away from the cricket field and build mental resilience.
“Vikram (Rathour) sir is our batting coach. My first interaction with him was when I was playing with the Indian team, where he was also our batting coach. He is super fun, very easy going and is like our go-to guy. You can talk to him about anything. So, he’s helping me out with the mental things apart from cricket,” Jurel said.
Jurel is the leading run-getter for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 with 106 runs in three games at an average of 35.33 and a strike rate of 151.42.
He is expected to be seen in action next when the Royals take on Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Saturday.
