‘I was shocked’ - Dhruv Jurel recalls Joe Root sledging him in Ranchi Test

India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel recently came forward and recalled a moment that he shared with England batter Joe Root during the five-match Test series against England earlier this year. It is worth noting that Jurel made his debut in the same series and even impressed in his maiden series.

However, the incident in question happened in his next Test in Ranchi when he found himself in a precarious situation. India were batting on a score of 161 runs with the loss of five wickets, after England posted a total of 353 runs in the first innings of the game. 

Jurel scored 30* runs before the day ended, and India found themselves batting on a score of 219/7. However, Jurel revealed that he could not sleep in the night the same day and even revealed Joe Root sledging him continuously despite both players playing together in the IPL.

“I could not sleep that night. I was not out on 30. I was making plans for the next day, thinking whether I should try to get the half-century with the old ball, because a few overs were still left, or against the new ball. But eventually I managed to get around 36 before they took the new ball and Anderson returned,” Jurel told Jatin Sapru on his YouTube channel.

“He (Joe Root) was all aggressive by then and was continuously sledging. Given the British accent, I did not understand half of those words. Even Bairstow and Joe Root joined. I was shocked because Root used to play with me in IPL, and I asked him, 'Why are you sledging me?' He replied: ‘We are all playing for our country now,’” he added.

Also Read: 'Pehli ball maarni hai, maar' - Dhruv Jurel recalls first candid interaction with Rohit Sharma

It is worth noting that in the game, Dhruv Jurel played a monumental role, scoring 90 runs in 149 deliveries and taking India’s score past 300 runs. Furthermore, he scored 39* runs in the second innings and helped India to a five-wicket win and was adjudged the player of the match.