Young Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel is making it really tough for the head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill to ignore him for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa with his sensational performances for India A.
Dhruv Jurel is putting himself in strong contention for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. Jurel, who was keeping wickets for India in the absence of Rishabh Pant and even scored a century in the recent Test series against the West Indies, has been showing remarkable consistency.
Dhruv Jurel’s twin unbeaten centuries put pressure on Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill ahead of the South Africa Tests
He scored centuries in both innings of the second four-day match for India A in the second unofficial Test match against South Africa A at the Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru. However, it was his temperament, ability to handle pressure, and maturity that impressed everyone the most.
Jurel’s outstanding performance not only helped India A take full control of the game but also boosted his chances of earning a place in India’s XI for the upcoming first Test against South Africa, starting on November 14 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
His consistency has given a sweet headache to the team management, especially with the explosive wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant returning to the action after recovering from a foot injury.
Dhruv Jurel shines bright under pressure for India A
Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel produced a breathtaking knock under immense pressure on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against South Africa A in Bengaluru.
Walking in when India A were struggling at 59 for 4, the young wicketkeeper turned the game around with an unbeaten 132 off just 175 balls. He smashed 12 fours and 4 sixes during his stunning knock.
Jurel stitched key partnerships, including 33 runs with Harsh Dubey, 79 with Kuldeep Yadav, and 34 with Mohammad Siraj, to push India A to a fighting total of 255 against South Africa A. Well, he once again proved to be the hero for India A in the second innings as well.
Dhruv Jurel’s second century turns the game
Coming to bat at number seven when India was in trouble at 84 for 4, the 24-year-old took charge of the innings with confidence and calmness and delivered another outstanding performance in the second innings of the unofficial Test against South Africa A in Bengaluru.
The right-handed batter built a steady 34-run partnership with Kuldeep Yadav before joining forces with Harsh Dubey for a massive 184-run stand that completely turned the game around. Jurel’s second century of the match put India A in a commanding position heading into the final day.
He played a brilliant knock of 127* runs off 170 balls with the help of 15 boundaries and one six as India A declared at 382/7. Jurel remained unbeaten in both innings, and this should be enough for him to seal a spot in India’s XI for the first Test, at least purely as a batter at Eden Gardens.
Notably, South Africa A still needs 390+ runs to beat India A in the ongoing second unofficial Test match in Bengaluru. Earlier, India had won the first unofficial Test by three wickets. After the red-ball games, both teams will play three 50-over games in Rajkot.