Dhruv Jurel has emphatically staked his claim for a Test berth with a remarkable performance for India A against South Africa A in their second unofficial Test match in Bengaluru. The 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter smashed centuries in both innings, showcasing his consistency and composure under pressure. Jurel's twin tons have not only put India A in a commanding position but have also presented the Indian team management with a pleasant selection dilemma ahead of the Test series against South Africa, scheduled to begin on November 14 in Kolkata.
In the first innings, with India A struggling at 126 for 7, Jurel walked in and counter-attacked with a solid 132 off 175 balls, including 12 fours and 4 sixes, rescuing the team and taking the total to 255. He followed it up with an unbeaten 127 off 170 balls in the second innings, further cementing his place as a strong contender for the Test squad. His second innings included 15 boundaries and a six.
Jurel's ability to perform under pressure was evident in both innings. In the second innings, he came to the crease after Rishabh Pant retired hurt and India A were 116/5. He then steadied the innings, building a 184-run stand with Harsh Dubey, who contributed a valuable 84. This partnership helped India A reach 382 for 7 before declaring, setting South Africa A a target of 417.
Jurel's recent form has been exceptional. This was his fourth first-class century in the past three months, taking his tally to 5 first-class centuries and 2146 runs in the format at an impressive average of 58.27. He had also impressed earlier in the year during the Test series against the West Indies, scoring a century.
The timing of Jurel's performance is perfect, as the selectors are currently considering the squad for the upcoming Test series. While Rishabh Pant has returned to the squad after recovering from an injury, Jurel's consistency and ability to score runs under pressure make him a strong contender for a place in the playing XI. There is speculation that Jurel could potentially take the place of Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 in the batting order. Sudharsan had a forgettable game against South Africa A, registering scores of 17 and 23.
Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has also weighed in on the debate, stating that Jurel is making it increasingly difficult for the selectors to leave him out of the Test team.
At the end of day 3, South Africa A were 25 for no loss, requiring another 392 runs to win. Whether Jurel makes it into the final XI remains to be seen, but his recent performance has undoubtedly made a strong statement.
