There is no competition with Pant, says Dhruv Jurel

India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel dismissed any notion of competition with Rishabh Pant, saying the focus is on the team. Ahead of the South Africa series, he praised both sides’ fast-bowling strength and described his Test debut as a “surreal” experience.

HYDERABAD: India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel said it would be a very exciting battle against the visiting South African in the forthcoming series.

“Both teams have strong fast-bowling attacks. Whether it’s Rabada and Marco Jansen from their side, or Bumrah bhai from ours, there’s quality all around,” Jurel said on JioStar’s ‘Follow The Blues’.

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“At the end of the day, if you want to win a match, you have to step up against good teams. South Africa are World Test Champions, so it’s going to be a good challenge. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

On the narrative of ‘competition’ with Rishabh Pant, Jurel said: “There is no competition between me and Rishabh bhai. Both of us are playing for India, and whoever plays, the motive is the same: to make India win.”

“If he plays, I will be happy. If I play, I am happy. If we play together, even better. The only focus is the team,” Jurel said.

On his Test debut and representing India, Jurel said that it was a surreal moment for him. “Playing Test cricket was my childhood dream. Getting that first cap felt like I was on cloud seven. It was very special,” he said.

On his approach and mindset heading into the series, Jurel said” “I am very confident that I’ll be able to contribute to the team. As a cricketer, the best feeling is when you come back to your room after the match and feel like you’ve done something for your team and that helped the team win.”

“ Every time I go in to bat, I look at the situation and think about what the team needs from me at that moment, and I try to play accordingly,” he said.