Up and coming wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel spoke about the competition for places between Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan and him in the Test team and his chances of being retained by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Speaking to Sports Tak ahead of playing for Gorakhpur Lions in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League, Jurel said that he wasn't too stressed about his selection in the Indian team for the upcoming Test matches. India have Test matches coming up against teams like Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia in 2024, all of which are part of the ICC World Test Championship. Jurel, who did extremely well in the Test side against England in the home series, is believed to be fighting for a spot in the starting XI with Pant and Kishan. 

Jurel, however, dismissed talk of stressing over a place in the XI: "Personally, I’ve always believed in taking it one day at a time," he told Sports Tak.

"I don’t want to stress myself out with unnecessary questions like what's going to happen, how it's going to happen. I'm here to play a match and I'm really focused on playing well for such a great cause. My practice has been good too, and I'm also thinking about the other team participating in the tournament. I'll take it day by day."

Will Dhruv Jurel be retained by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction?

Asked if he would be retained by Rajasthan Royals, Jurel chose to be secretive, stating that we'll have to wait till November to know about it.

"It's all confidential, but you might find out everything in November," Jurel said. He also added that if released, he did not have a preferred franchise to go to. 

"Honestly, I don’t have a favorite team. I just want to play wherever I can. You mentioned domestic cricket, and the IPL is pretty much the same – if you perform well here, it leads to bigger opportunities. What I really want is a chance to show what I can do and play at a higher level. Everyone dreams of playing for India, especially after 10-15 years, so this is the platform where we can prove ourselves and reach that goal."

Jurel further spoke about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and the two senior players inspiring him in their own unique ways. 

ALSO READ: RR Retained Players List for IPL 2025

"Whenever I meet him [Kohli], I always try to learn something because he’s a legend in cricket. I’m really curious about how he got to where he is and what he did in the background. So, whenever I talk to him, it’s all about cricket. And when you’re around him, you can really feel that vibe.

"I'm going to try to bring that kind of vibe into my own game, just like Rohit Sharma as a captain. You notice how he interacts with the young players; he's really good with them. Honestly, his captaincy is very chill. He’ll talk to you like a regular person, not all serious and stuff. The thing is to make you feel comfortable. When Test cricket first started, I had a chat with Captain Rohit, and it was really nice; everything felt normal, like there’s nothing to stress about."

Jurel is yet to get consistent game time at Rajasthan Royals and retaning him would be touch difficult for the franchise given the plethora of options in front of them.

ALSO READ: 'If released by KKR...' - Rinku Singh reveals which franchise he prefers to join ahead of IPL 2025 auction

Rajasthan Royals' likely retention plan for IPL 2025

For IPL 2025, Rajasthan Royals (RR) are expected to retain key players who have consistently contributed to the team’s success. Skipper Sanju Samson is the top retention choice, having led the team with distinction and consistently delivering with the bat. His leadership and dynamic batting make him indispensable to the franchise.

Riyan Parag, who had a breakout season in IPL 2024 after several inconsistent years, is likely to be retained due to the management’s trust in his potential. Yuzvendra Chahal, the highest wicket-taker in IPL history, is another crucial retention, given his unparalleled ability to take wickets and his immense value as a domestic spinner.

Jos Buttler, a vital cog in RR’s batting lineup, has been consistently among their top scorers, making his retention almost certain. His ability to dominate in T20 cricket and provide stability at the top order is invaluable to RR's plans for the upcoming season.

All of this, combined with the fact that Samson and Buttler can both keep too, makes Jurel a difficult retention for RR. It's very likely that he will play for another franchise in the next season of the IPL.

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