Dhruv Jurel's brilliant unbeaten 115 off 177 balls completely dismantled Sri Lanka's bowling attack, driving India to a commanding first-innings declaration of 503/9 on Day 2 of the second Test at the SSC Ground in Colombo.
Jurel's steady and long vigil at the crease included 9 boundaries and 2 sixes. It marked his second Test century and his first on overseas soil.
Coming in at No. 7, Jurel engineered a vital 112-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Rishabh Pant (63), successfully resurrecting the Indian innings from a precarious 307/6. His milestone built heavily upon an elegant 117 from Devdutt Padikkal on Day 1, alongside half-centuries from Shubman Gill (50) and Pant.
After the end of second day’s play, Dhruv Jurel opened up on the guidance he received from head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Gill.
Jurel revealed that the leadership duo always emphasized facing maximum deliveries and building partnerships. He was also advised to read the game situation carefully and cut down unnecessary risks in his shot selection.
“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," Jurel said in a video shared by the BCCI.
With this knock, Jurel became only the second Indian cricketer after Hardik Pandya (2017) to score a Test century batting at No. 7 or lower in Sri Lanka. He also registered the highest score by a No. 7 or lower batter for India in an away World Test Championship (WTC) fixture.
Dhruv Jurel's batting philosophy emphasizes time spent at the crease and partnership building over individual milestones. He believes the milestones are a byproduct of batting for long periods.
“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 remarked.
Following India's declaration, the bowlers immediately capitalised on overcast conditions. Within just three overs before bad light forced an early close, the tourists reduced Sri Lanka to a dismal 8/2.
While Prasidh Krishna removed opener Lahiru Udara (1), caught spectacularly by Yashasvi Jaiswal at third slip, Manav Suthar trapped nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya LBW (2) with the final ball of the day.
