Witnessing a young talent achieve their first big milestone is always special. This is precisely what happened when Dhruv Jurel reached his first Test hundred against the West Indies on October 2, 2025, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The Knock That Proved His Worth
Jurel batted in only his sixth Test, after a long career primarily as a backup keeper. The 24-year-old from Uttar Pradesh faced 190 deliveries instead of scoring that mark of three digits off Roston Chase.
Here are the highlights of his innings:
- He rocked 12 fours and 2 sixes to get to the magic number
- Eventually finished with 125 off 210 with 15 fours and 3 sixes
- He built a huge partnership of 207 with Ravindra Jadeja for 5th wicket
- He showed a great mixture of control and patience, with aggression when necessary
- The young man nearly accomplished this feat before, when he registered 90 against England at home.
- This time he made sure it was a hundred.
Being a significant feat for any player in playing under his father’s name on the back of his jersey, as he stood and celebrated the mark.
As Jurel’s momentum crested the hundred mark, he celebrated with a salute meaningfully used to honor his father, Nem Chand, who served as an accomplished war hero.
He stood là holding his bat vertical, then saluting to his left to his father.
The importance of this century
This was no ordinary hundred; having become the 12th player from his country to score a Test hundred as a designated wicket-keeper. Scotty is also among the well-celebrated cricketers to score a Test hundred against the West Indies and holds the esteem of well-known cricketers and celebrated keepers like Vijaya Manjkrekarr, Farookh Engineer, Ajay Ratra and Widdhiman Saha.
Here is what makes it even more special:
- He became the third designated wicket-keeper from his country to score a century in 2025.
- This also means that 2025 was the calendar year for the most tons scored by designated wicket-keepers from his country.
- South Africa in 2013 is the only country to score more century keeps in a single calendar year with 4 tons.
- Jurel is the second designated wicket-keeper to score a century in Test cricket at Ahmedabad, joining MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant and Prasanna Jayawardene from Sri Lanka.
The Match Situation
KL Rahul had already set the innings up with his 11th Test hundred—100 runs off a total of 197 balls – however, Jurel upped the ante once he walked in at number 5. The side needed guys to bat long and create a big lead, and Jurel did just that.
Jurel’s partnership with Jadeja changed the match’s momentum. They both batted differently, but worked perfectly together. Jurel was aggressive but controlled his aggression whereas Jadeja was steady and not out on 104. They both helped pile on the score to 448 for 5 declared, with a mammoth lead of 286 runs!
The Technical Side
What impressed about Jurel’s innings was his square-of-the-wicket batting. His ability to find spaces and rotate strike was exceptional. The boundary that brought him to his century came off a full delivery on middle stump, which he whipped wide of mid-on using plenty of bottom hand. This showed both his technique and his ability to put away scoring deliveries.
If you have been following his journey closely on the Cricsmatch official platforms, you would have noticed he has maintained his consistency recently. His recent form for the A team against Australia A suggested that some big performances would come soon enough.
What Happened Next
The West Indies had no postcard answers. After scoring just 162 in the first innings, they needed 287 to make the home team to bat again, and then, they were all out for just 146 in the second innings. Jadeja, who had scored that century with Jurel earlier, took 4 for 54 with the ball to finish things off.
The game finished on Day 3, which was a comprehensive innings and 140 runs victory. Jurel’s hundred provided the perfect foundations for this dominant performance.
Rankings Jump
The hundred provided rewards beyond the satisfaction of achieving the milestone. This knock left Jurel jumping 20 spots in ICC rankings. After this knock, he went from 85 to 65, illustrating the impact this performance had on him. If you’re following player stats on Cricsmatch official, that rise in the rankings also signified Jurel’s rising importance to the Test setup.
Summing Up
This knock depicted that Jurel wants to exhibit more than being a backup. Jurel showcased that both in this knock and as a pure batting option, he can maintain his position too. Temp Temperament, shot selection, and forming partnerships illustrates a bright future in the longest format.
The celebration, the emotion of the celebration, and the tribute to his father made that hundred even more special. At 24 years old, Jurel has announced himself on the big stage. This is only the first step for someone who has carried himself well, stringently waiting for his opportunity.
