New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper‑batter Dhruv Jurel reflected on his team’s campaign in IPL 2026, which ended after a seven-wicket defeat to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, adding that the side played positive cricket throughout the season despite falling short of reaching the final.

In New Chandigarh, RR posted 214/6, thanks to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s astonishing 96. But Shubman Gill’s majestic 104 helped GT chase the total and set up a title clash with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

“As a wicketkeeper, when I talk to bowlers, I never tell them what to bowl. I just say, brother, take your time. You are good enough. That is why you are here. I say this especially to debutants. I have been in that position. I know that when you make your debut, a lot of thoughts run through your mind. You keep thinking about what to do and what not to do.

“You cannot tell a debutant exactly how to bowl. It is not easy. If you do, they start doubting themselves and end up making mistakes. So I focus on giving them confidence. I tell them, back yourself. Whatever delivery you plan to bowl, stick to it and don’t overthink.

“I try to give them belief from behind the stumps that whatever you are thinking is good. Don’t worry about what could go wrong. Just back yourself. We have to play good cricket. We have played positive cricket and done that throughout this IPL season,” said Jurel to JioStar.

Jurel, who emerged as one of RR’s dependable performers by making 515 runs in 16 games as a top-order batter, spoke of his passion for batting and the lengths he goes to for extra practice to hone his primary skillset.

“I love to bat. I keep telling Vikram Rathour sir, our batting coach, to give me more time in the nets, but he always says no. So, I always find a way out to bat more in every training session. I reach early and start batting 20 minutes before the session officially begins. When others want their turn, I ask for 10 more minutes. When that’s up, I ask for five more.

“I just keep batting. When my turn ends, I take my pads off but leave them in the nets. If there’s a gap later, I jump back in. Vikram sir knows I won’t stop, so he always says, ‘Dhruv, please come out and let the others bat too.’ I do this every time because I love batting. Before a match, I don’t want to feel that I am not ready.”

On pacing his innings as per the demands of modern-day T20 cricket, Jurel explained, “When I go out to bat, I take my time to settle in. I read the situation first. I check how the ball is coming off the wicket, what a par score would be on that pitch, or what the required rate is if we are chasing. I don’t rush and pace my batting as per the needs of the situation.

“Majority of the time, one of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are there at the other end, batting well. So, I let them continue their momentum. My job is to stay with them, rotate the strike, and hold one end up. That way, we can build a long partnership. I try to play around them and keep the scoreboard moving.”

Jurel, who will now join the Indian Test team for the one-off game against Afghanistan on June 6 after a short breather, signed off by saying positive communication in the dressing room is the key for him to thrive. “I always want people to keep talking to me. Someone should come up to me and have a chat so that they feed positive thoughts to my mind. Even a simple, normal thought can help.

“When someone tells me something before I go out to bat, it stays with me. I carry that thought into the middle. And when I can execute what we discussed, it gives me confidence. That kind of communication makes a huge difference in your personal mindset and the overall atmosphere in the dressing room.”

–IANS

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