Dhruv Jurel after 51 against Sri Lanka in 1st Test: ‘There is no pressure’

Ahead of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka, Dhruv Jurel was set to take over the middle-order position from the returning Sarfaraz Khan. Jurel, who had posted scores of 19, 2, 0 and 13 before arriving in Galle, made an impressive 51 runs on Day 2 of the match before getting out to Prabath Jayasuriya. When questioned about the pressure he felt coming into the game, Jurel dismissed the notion, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to represent India.

He emphasized that he viewed each chance to bat as an opportunity to contribute to the team, without personal milestones or pressure. Jurel also discussed his approach at the crease, stating that his focus was solely on fulfilling the team's needs and playing according to instructions from the captain and head coach. He revealed that the plan for the afternoon session was to accumulate as many runs as possible, without being overly aggressive, on a wicket that was expected to turn but not be overly hostile.

Jurel admitted that bowling Sri Lanka out twice would be a challenging task, but he believed that consistency, smart areas to bowl, and determination would be crucial for India to secure a win.