Dhruv Shorey has carved out a reputation as one of the dependable performers in Indian domestic cricket over the years. The right-handed batter has accumulated 5,455 runs in 77 first-class matches at an average of 48.70, including 15 centuries and 24 fifties. He has also scored 3,227 runs in 81 List A matches at an average of 44.81.
However, Shorey’s journey has not been without its share of difficult decisions and setbacks. After spending a significant part of his career playing for Delhi, the batter eventually made the move to Vidarbha, leaving behind familiar surroundings and conditions where he had enjoyed considerable success.
Shorey has also had to make some important choices away from the cricket field. After losing his father, he took up a job with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to provide some stability for his family. However, his ambition of playing cricket at the highest level never faded, eventually leading him to pursue the sport full-time.
The batter has also enjoyed success with Vidarbha, with the move bringing him the opportunity to be part of a team that has consistently competed for and won domestic trophies. Despite the difficult transition, Shorey insists that he has no regrets about leaving Delhi and continues to enjoy his cricket in Vidarbha.
During a candid conversation with CricTracker, Shorey opened up about his decision to leave Delhi, his move to Vidarbha, and the difficult phase following his father’s demise.
Excerpts from the interview
How difficult was it for you to leave Delhi and shift to Vidarbha? Do you have any regrets about that move?
No, not really. It was difficult initially because, you know, you’re leaving your home. You know, you’re leaving your home ground. I’ve played all my, you know, I’ve played a lot, a lot of cricket in Delhi, in the Feroz Shah Kotla. I knew the conditions really well and I was scoring really good runs over there. So, you know, it was very difficult. It was a difficult decision to just leave my home state and go to Vidarbha. But there’s no regrets, actually. There’s no regret at all. You know, I’m enjoying my cricket in Vidarbha and we’ve been winning trophies. It’s been really good. So, yeah, I’m enjoying Vidarbha right now.
After losing your father, you took up a job at RBI for family stability. How tough was that phase, and what gave you the courage to give up job security to pursue cricket full-time?
“It’s not about courage, actually. That was never the plan. You know, the plan was always to play cricket. And still just play cricket as long as I can and just try to play for the country. And at that time, it was a very, very tough time. And obviously, I was fairly young at that time. But still, again, I’m thankful to RBI till date, you know, that, you know, I’ve been employed there. And, you know, they encourage us to play a lot. They encourage us to play, play and play as long as we can. And RBI has supported us throughout. And we are going strong with RBI. So, at that point in time, you know, it was a necessary action for me to take up the job security. At that time, the facilities were not that great. But right now, it’s one of the best facilities the government has. And the way they support their sportsperson, it’s immaculate. It’s one of the best, you know, associations, one of the best institutions to be associated with.”
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