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After a flying start and reasonable middle overs, the Rajasthan Royals innings seemed to have hit a roadblock with the dismissal of the well-set Yashasvi Jaiswal in the IPL match against Chennai Super Kings at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Thursday night.
It all came down to how the Royals batters would deal with the death overs. Not for the first time this season, Dhruv Jurel put his hand up.
His blistering 34 off 15 balls and his 48-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Devdutt Padikkal took Royals to what would be a formidable total; it was also the first time a team was scoring 200 or more in the 15-year history of the IPL at the venue.
Shortly after his cameo helped Royals post a 32-run victory and reclaim the top spot on the points table at the expense of CSK, the 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Uttar Pradesh stressed that it was a much-needed win. Royals had lost its last two games.
“It felt really good (to contribute to the team’s victory,” said Jurel, who has been a revelation as a finisher for Royals. “I have been practising hard for this tournament, batting for three or four hours every day. My mantra is: bat, the rest will take care of itself.”
Jurel said it didn’t matter there would be only a few overs left when he arrived at the wicket. “I have practised for this spot the team management has given me,” he said. “I have practised enough to hit every ball for six.”
He said he didn’t feel any pressure with M.S. Dhoni standing behind the stumps to him. “I was in fact motivated by that fact,” he said. “I feel I am fortunate that I could play on the same ground as Dhoni. I have admired him since my childhood. It means great that he is watching me.”
Dhoni was doing that very well. He ran Jurel out with a superb underarm throw.
Jurel may not mind it too much: after all, the scoreboard will have his and his hero’s name in the same line. And as it would turn out, he had done his job. Once again.
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