Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has opined that Dhruv Jurel has more potential than he has shown in the ongoing IPL 2026. Jurel scored 38 runs off 26 balls against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday. In the first half of his innings, Jurel was mostly scoring at run-a-ball.

Pathan said Jurel has the ability to score his runs at a higher strike rate, and he expects more from the RR wicket-keeper bat. Jurel has scored 458 runs in 14 matches at an average of 38.17 and a strike rate of 149.67 in the ongoing IPL 2026.

Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports, “Look, the expectations I have from Dhruv Jurel, considering his ability, are slightly higher than what he has shown so far. This was an innings of 38 runs, and for the majority of his stay at the crease, the runs were not coming fluently. After that run-out, where there was a clear lack of coordination, he accelerated in the next couple of overs and improved his strike rate. But he is the kind of player who can bat at a very high strike rate.”

Pathan said Jurel is a good batter, but if he fails to perform in the playoffs, RR could struggle to go deep.

“He is a very good batter, and the Indian team also has immense faith in his ability. That is why he will continue to get opportunities consistently. He is that sort of player. Right now, he has cemented the No. 3 position, and the dependency on him has increased. He will have to score runs, especially when we talk about the playoffs. All eyes will be on him because if he fails to deliver in the knockout matches, RR could find themselves in trouble.”

On the other hand, Pathan noted that RR captain Riyan Parag was relieved after the franchise sealed their playoff berth.

“The expressions on Riyan Parag’s face at the end showed pure relief because he too has faced criticism, whether as a captain or as a player. So, qualifying as captain for Rajasthan Royals was a huge achievement for him.”

RR will take on SRH in the eliminator on Wednesday.