Dhruv Jurel has continued to make a strong impression in India’s ongoing two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The 25-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, who is currently playing as a specialist batter, followed his half-century in the first Test in Galle with a brilliant unbeaten century in Colombo.
Jurel scored 115 runs in India’s first innings of the second Test on Monday, August 25, playing a crucial role in helping the Shubman Gill-led side post 503/9 before declaring. His composed knock earned widespread praise and further strengthened his credentials as a reliable batter in the Test format. Playing his 11th Test for India, Jurel revealed the advice he has received from head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill.
Speaking in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of Day 3, the batter explained the importance they place on spending time at the crease and building partnerships. “From coach (Gautam Gambhir), captain (Shubman Gill) — they always keep saying that play as many balls as you can. Build partnerships, know the situation, what are your areas to score, try to minimise the risk from your batting,” Dhruv Jurel said.
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The advice appears to have worked perfectly for Jurel in Colombo. Rather than chasing quick runs, he focused on understanding the match situation and building partnerships, eventually converting his start into a memorable century.
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Jurel’s 115 also saw him enter the record books. He became only the second Indian batter to score a Test century at No. 7 or lower in Sri Lanka. His innings also established a new record for the highest score by an Indian batter at No. 7 or lower in an away World Test Championship match.
Despite reaching a significant personal milestone, Jurel insisted that his primary focus was on contributing to the team’s total. He explained that individual achievements tend to follow naturally when a batter spends enough time at the crease.
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“I think milestones come along the way when you bat. I was just trying to build partnerships with the batsman whoever I was batting with. I think we played decently today,” he added.
Jurel’s successive impactful performances have given India another dependable option in the middle order. With Sri Lanka already losing two wickets after India’s declaration, his contribution could prove increasingly valuable as the second Test progresses.
