Jurel’s Century Shines as IND A Battles Early Collapse in 2nd Unofficial Test

In the highly competitive world of Indian cricket, making a mark is challenging, and maintaining that distinction consistently is even more difficult. Yet, amidst this whirlwind of unpredictability, Dhruv Jurel stands out like a dependable blue-chip stock—constantly reliable and steadily advancing, unaffected by the surrounding chaos.

On Thursday, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence near Bengaluru, the 24-year-old once again proved his mettle by scoring a remarkable unbeaten century (132*, 175 balls, 12 fours, 4 sixes) for India-A against South Africa-A. His performance came on a green pitch favoring the bowlers, where his teammates managed just 114 runs collectively.

During the day’s play, India-A vs South Africa-A, in the second unofficial Test, Jurel’s century—his third in just seven First-Class innings following similar feats against Australia-A and West Indies—powered his team to 255 runs. This score seemed unlikely when the team was struggling at 126 for seven after being put into bat.

Jurel, who seems to have mastered the art of batting with the lower order, made significant partnerships with the tail-enders. He added 79 runs with Kuldeep Yadav for the eighth wicket and 34 runs with Mohammed Siraj for the ninth, confidently taking on the pacers and dominating off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen with four big sixes.

His composed and assured batting starkly contrasted with his teammates’ struggles. KL Rahul (19) and Devdutt Padikkal (5) were dismissed chasing deliveries from left-arm pacer Tiaan van Vuuren (who took four for 52), while Abhimanyu Easwaran (0) and B. Sai Sudharsan (17) fell leg-before-wicket.

Rishabh Pant played his usual aggressive game, scoring 24 runs off 20 balls, including three fours and a six, but was caught at mid-off trying to take on fast-bowler Tshepo Moreki.

Kuldeep Yadav deserves special mention alongside Jurel. Frequently overlooked in the national team due to batting considerations, Kuldeep showcased his batting talent, playing 88 balls for a well-compiled 20 runs and providing crucial support to Jurel.

Their partnership brought back memories of their vital 76-run stand against England in Ranchi last year, where Kuldeep faced 131 balls for his 28 runs. Can this latest partnership spark a similar game-changing outcome?

Match Summary:
India-A: 255 in 77.1 overs (Dhruv Jurel 132*, Tiaan van Vuuren 4/52) vs. South Africa-A. Toss won by South Africa-A.

Published on November 6, 2025.