Star India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel produced one of the finest innings of his young career, showcasing remarkable technical discipline and mental toughness to lift India A from a precarious position to a competitive total of 255 all out on Day 1 against South Africa A in the four-day match at Bengaluru. Asked to bat first under heavy cloud cover and on a surface offering seam movement and variable bounce, India A slumped to 126 for 7, undone by some sharp bowling and their own errors.

But Jurel’s masterful 132 off 175 balls*—a knock built on compact technique, nimble footwork, and immense grit—completely changed the complexion of the innings. The 24-year-old formed a crucial 79-run eighth-wicket stand with Kuldeep Yadav (20 off 87), whose stoic defence and composure allowed Jurel the freedom to steer the innings with calculated aggression. What stood out in Jurel’s knock was not flamboyance, but precision. His batting was a lesson in how to score runs in challenging conditions without taking undue risks.

Whether leaning forward to smother spin or hanging back to glide deliveries to the on-side, his shot selection was immaculate. His sixes too were a reflection of pure timing rather than brute force. The lift over long-on against Off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen came from a perfectly judged swing, and even the slog-sweep that followed was measured and controlled, backed by a clear understanding of field placements.

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Against pacers Tshepo Moreki and Tiaan van Vuuren (4/52)—both of whom extracted lively bounce—Jurel stayed tall, climbing into the rising deliveries to punch them past point. When the bowlers drifted onto his pads, he flicked confidently; when they pitched up, he drove with conviction. His decisive initial movements ensured he rarely found himself caught in awkward positions.

The only visibly uncomfortable moment came during an attempted lap shot off van Vuuren, but moments later, he calmly nudged the same bowler for a single to reach his fourth first-class century, also his third in his last seven innings—adding to earlier tons against Australia A in Lucknow and the West Indies in Ahmedabad.

Dhruv Jurel is in ridiculous form right now, in a match where the entire team managed just 123, he stood tall with an unbeaten 132* against South Africa A. And this isn’t a one-off, he’s done it before against Australia, England, and now again vs South Africa. pic.twitter.com/no3xXgFfCS

— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) November 6, 2025

Kuldeep played the ideal supporting role despite a minor collision with wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen that required medical attention. Their partnership consumed 173 balls across two sessions, blunting South Africa A’s momentum before a mix-up resulted in Kuldeep’s run-out.

Unfortunately for India A, the rest of the batting unit could not provide substantial support. Sai Sudharsan (17) was trapped by Subrayen, KL Rahul (19) edged van Vuuren behind the stumps, and Rishabh Pant (24)—aggressive as always—perished attempting to hit Moreki after taking a blow on his thumb.

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Openers Abhimanyu Easwaran and Devdutt Padikkal were dismissed cheaply, leaving India A staring at a collapse before Jurel’s exceptional rescue act restored respectability. By stumps, the day belonged unquestionably to Dhruv Jurel—showing once again why he is viewed as one of India’s most technically gifted young batters in red-ball cricket.