Dhruv Jurel reveals reason behind his ‘salute celebration’ after getting his maiden Test fifty in the 4th IND vs ENG Test.

On Day 3 of the fourth Test against England in Ranchi, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel emerged as the hero, guiding India’s innings with a remarkable performance. Despite it being only his second Test match, Jurel displayed maturity beyond his years by crafting his maiden half-century when India was struggling at 177/7. His celebration upon reaching this milestone, characterized by a unique salute, caught the attention of cricket enthusiasts worldwide.

What made Jurel’s celebration even more poignant was its significance to his family. The 23-year-old dedicated his salute to his father, Nem Chand, a Kargil War veteran who served as a retired havildar. Nem Chand, who participated in the 1999 Kargil war and later opted for voluntary retirement in 2008, shared a special bond with his son. Their conversation at the end of Day 2 inspired Jurel to honor his achievement with a salute, a gesture he had practiced since childhood.

Dhruv Jurel said “The celebration after scoring fifty was for my father. He is a veteran of Kargil War. Yesterday evening, I was speaking to my father over phone and he told me indirectly ‘beta, show your salute once at least’, I have been doing that since childhood, so that celebration was for him.”

Though Jurel fell short of a century, being dismissed for a commendable 90 runs off 149 balls, his innings was impactful, featuring six fours and four sixes. He played pivotal roles in partnerships, notably a crucial 76-run stand with Kuldeep Yadav (28 off 13) and a 40-run partnership with Akash Deep (9 off 29). These contributions allowed India to post a competitive total of 307 runs, narrowing England’s lead to 46 runs in the second innings. Jurel’s resilience and determination were instrumental in keeping India’s hopes alive in the match.