There was a lot more emotion behind Dhruv Jurel’s century celebration in Colombo than just reaching a hundred.
India wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel said that showing off his bicep tattoo after scoring his century against Sri Lanka was his way of honouring his family. The tattoo has the slogan ‘Jai Jawaan, Jai Kisaan’, which means Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer. He explained that this famous slogan, which was given by former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965, is a reminder for himself about where he comes from and he never wants to forget his roots.
Dhruv Jurel’s connection to the slogan is very personal. His father, Nem Chand, is a retired Havildar who served in the Indian Army and even fought in the 1999 Kargil War. His grandfather was a farmer. Dhruv Jurel has often celebrated his achievements with a salute to respect his father’s service and he did the same after completing his century in the ongoing Test match. He said that his roots lie with his farmer grandfather and soldier father and that salute was dedicated to both of them.
Dhruv Jurel remained unbeaten on 115 runs off 177 balls as India declared their first innings on 503 for 9. This was his second century in Test cricket and it came at a very important time when there were questions about his place in the team. He is usually seen as the backup wicketkeeper to Rishabh Pant and in this series, he is getting a rare opportunity to play alongside him.
Talking about Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel had only praise. He said everyone knows what a brilliant player Rishabh Pant is and what he has done for India, especially in Australia and England. He said whenever Pant is around, he always asks him for advice because of his vast experience and wants to know what to do in different match situations.
He also added that he does not try to copy Rishabh Pant’s unique style of batting. He said Test cricket is beautiful because everyone has a different way of playing and batting with Pant is a terrific experience. He admitted he cannot play like Pant who has been playing in his own way since childhood. He explained his own game plan is about deciding which bowler to attack and which spell to play carefully and he often discusses this with Pant since both of them are wicketkeepers who bat in the middle order.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant did not keep wickets on Monday. Dhruv Jurel said the team is keeping an eye on his shoulder problem but they feel he should be available to play on Tuesday.
Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan!
