Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 9: India batter Dhruv Jurel continued his fine form, smashing back-to-back centuries in the second unofficial Test between India A and South Africa A. His stellar performance drew high praise from former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, who said Jurel has made a strong case for selection in the upcoming Test series against South Africa’s senior side.

In the first innings, when India A were struggling, Jurel anchored the innings with a superb 132, guiding his team to 255 in 77.1 overs. No other batter crossed 25 runs, with skipper Rishabh Pant contributing 24.

South Africa A faced similar struggles, managing 221 runs, thanks largely to Marques Ackerman’s 134. Prasidh Krishna was the pick of the Indian bowlers with three wickets, while Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep took two each, giving India A a slender lead.

In the second innings, Jurel once again shone with the bat, scoring another magnificent century to put his team in a strong position. At the time of reporting, he was unbeaten on 127 off 170 deliveries, with India A at 382 for 7 in 89.2 overs.

Praising his consistency, Ashwin wrote on X, “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’.”

Jurel’s performances have not only strengthened India A’s position in the match but also boosted his prospects for a place in India’s Test squad for the upcoming home series against South Africa.