Every debut sparks a new story—may be not just of those players, but to all those who have locked their kits inside. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy adds a different charm—early alarms, relentless struggle to leave a warm quilt, but finally switching on the television. This series hardly has been a pale one, be it Steve Waugh's or Ricky Ponting's Banter to a young Virat Kohli eyeing a senior Mitchell Johnson. Dhruv Jurel belongs to that group of kids who saw an angry young Virat Kohli, chest thumping with raw aggression, showing middle finger to an angry Aussie mob, and later a captain Kohli standing tall against the opponent captain Tim Paine. Dhruv Jurel, a kid from Agra, who too, like everyone else, wrestled with the alarm in the quiet hours of half-baked dawn to watch his team playing miles away from his hometown. Years later, that boy’s dream has come full circle. His understated Instagram post from a Test photoshoot speaks volumes, stirring nostalgia and pride. Tomorrow, India will gear up for their first Test match of the series, while Jurel, the "man" of early twenties, will pad up for his first Border Gavaskar Trophy. "From setting alarms to catch India's Tests in Australia to waking up alarm- free" The headshot post caption reads this. Dhruv repeated the same thing in his recent chat with Star Sports in their "On the Mic" segment. "I remember when matches were held in Australia, New Zealand, and England, we had to set alarms because the time zone was different. I was always filled with excitement, and now that I'm here, I'm hopeful for the chance to play in the matches. I am still very excited, though there are some butterflies in my stomach, but I am looking forward to it." In case ever someone fumbled naming just one favorite cricketer and felt illogical about that, Dhruv had answers for it too. In that interview, Dhruv said, “Virender Sehwag—my family used to watch him in the beginning—AB de Villiers because of his innovation, the calmness of MS Dhoni, the aggression of Virat Kohli, and the ease of Rohit Sharma. There are so many cricketers from whom I’ve drawn inspiration." A journey forged in Fire A 23-year-old "man" who is almost set to break into the team has his left ungoing a plastic surgery at the age of 5, as it got under a bus tire. Yet it was the will that moved him. Jurel, a local star with the bat, had to hide his praises from his war-veratan father. Dhruv once sarcastically remarked, “My father saw the article and thought it was someone else. I was terrified to admit that it was me." The father, who once disapproved of his cricket, later took out a loan to buy him a cricket bat worth ₹2,000, and his mother pawned her only gold necklace to purchase a kit. By the age of 13, Jurel was traveling alone from Agra to Noida to train under coach Phool Chand, Phool Chand probably won't complain about his shoulder aching after bowling Jurel continuously to sharpen Jurel’s skills. Later, at the Rajasthan Royals Academy, the young cricketer would bat for 140 overs a day to prepare for overseas tours. Read: BGT 2024-25: India’s Likely Playing XI for 1st Test at Perth Dhruv Jurel- the man with Virat Kohli mannerisms Jurel’s technique is a fusion of hard work and natural flair. He resembles prime Ajinkya Rahane with his compact stance, with its subtle frontfoot press and swift backfoot shuffle. His ability to play off the backfoot—a crucial skill for Australian pitches—has already drawn comparisons to the greats. During a recent India A tour of Australia, Jurel’s scores of 80 and 68 on bounce decks were a masterclass in controlled aggression. Nasser Hussain in the commentary box once remarked, “He looked like he had been playing here for years." Recently, during the unofficial test, some Aussie commentator gave him the tag of having Virat Kohli mannerisms. But it’s not just the strokes that define Jurel; it’s his temperament. In the limited chances he got, he has repeatedly stood tall in moments of crisis. Whether guiding the lower order to safety or anchoring a tricky chase, Jurel’s calm under pressure has become his signature. If the England home series doesn't hold enough proof to that, then what does! Former coach Ravi Shastri is among his many admirers, advocating for him to get a chance in Australia. "A difficult tour"- Dhruv Jurel In the press conference where the interim captain Jasprit Bumrah denied any pressure, Jurel acknowledged the tour as a difficult one. But is ready to face it. In the Star Sports interview, he added, “I can’t deny that this is a difficult tour, especially after how the last series went. We are very excited and pumped up, and we are here to give it our all. We are looking forward to every challenge. We know there will be challenges, but we are ready to overcome them." Jurel soaked in the pressure, facing the sharp bounce of the Kookaburrah ball, executing uppercuts and elegant backfoot punches. The boy who once was a "fan" is now a teammate to them, sharing the same dressing room. And now, its time to share the pride.