Dhruv Jurel’s twin tons put pressure on Sai Sudharsan ahead of South Africa Tests

Dhruv Jurel has thrown his hat firmly into the selection ring with a stunning display for India A, scoring back-to-back centuries against South Africa A and putting immense pressure on Sai Sudharsan ahead of the upcoming Test series.

The 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter followed up his first-innings score of 132 with an unbeaten 127 off 170 balls in the second innings, as India A declared at 382/7, setting South Africa A a daunting target of 417 runs. Jurel reached his second century in the 86th over, facing 159 deliveries before raising his bat to the dressing room.

His earlier ton in the first innings had already been a rescue act — coming when India A were reeling at 126/7 before his 132-run knock lifted them to 255. With consecutive centuries in challenging conditions, Jurel’s case for a place in the senior Test side has strengthened significantly.

Also Read: How Dhruv Jurel is making himself irreplaceable in India’s Test team

Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan endured another forgettable outing with scores of 17 and 23, struggling to find rhythm against both spin and pace. His dip in form at the crucial No.3 spot may force the selectors to consider Jurel as a specialist batter, even if Rishabh Pant returns as the primary wicketkeeper.

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin weighed in on Jurel’s exploits, writing on X (formerly Twitter):

“Dhruv Jurel is making it very hard for the coach and captain to drop him from the Test match coming up. 100’s in both innings of the unofficial Test against SA ‘A’. #INDvSA”

Jurel had earlier featured in India’s home series against the West Indies, scoring 182 runs in two Tests — a performance that had already hinted at his potential. Sudharsan, in contrast, managed 133 runs across the same series.