Dhruv Jurel scored an impressive unbeaten century for India on Monday (August 24) to help them post a total of 503/9 declared in their first innings of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese
Sports Club.
Jurel, who came out to bat at No. 7 for India, remained unbeaten on 115 runs. He faced 177 balls during his stay at the crease and hammered nine fours and two sixes before Shubman Gill declared India’s first innings.
By scoring a century in the first innings, Jurel joined Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy in an elite list. The Agra-born wicketkeeper-batter became the third No. 7 or lower batter to score a century for India in an away World Test Championship (WTC) match.
His score of 115 is also the highest by a No. 7 or lower batter for India in an away WTC match.
Highest scores by No. 7 or lower batter for India in away WTC match
| PLAYER | RUNS | BALLS | 4s | 6s | INNINGS | BATTING POSITION | AGAINST | VENUE | START DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhruv Jurel | 115* | 177 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 7th | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | August 23, 2026 |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | 114 | 189 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8th | Australia | Melbourne | December 26, 2024 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 104 | 194 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 7th | England | Birmingham | July 1, 2022 |
Nitish scored 114 runs as a No. 8 batter for India in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2024, while Jadeja scored 104 runs as a No. 7 batter against England in the first innings of the rescheduled Test at Edgbaston in July 2022.
Jurel is the ninth No. 7 batter overall to score a century for India in an away Test.
Highest scores by No. 7 batter for India in away Tests
| PLAYER | RUNS | BALLS | 4s | 6s | INNINGS | AGAINST | VENUE | START DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | 159* | 189 | 15 | 1 | 1 | Australia | Sydney | January 3, 2019 |
| Sandeep Patil | 129* | 196 | 18 | 2 | 2 | England | Manchester | June 24, 1982 |
| Kapil Dev | 129 | 180 | 14 | 1 | 3 | South Africa | Gqeberha | December 26, 1992 |
| Dattu Phadkar | 123 | 284 | 15 | 0 | 2 | Australia | Adelaide | January 23, 1948 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 118 | 158 | 17 | 1 | 2 | New Zealand | Wellington | February 14, 2014 |
| Dhruv Jurel | 115* | 177 | 9 | 2 | 1 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | August 23, 2026 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 115 | 110 | 19 | 1 | 2 | South Africa | Cape Town | January 2, 1997 |
| Rishabh Pant | 114 | 146 | 15 | 4 | 4 | England | The Oval | September 7, 2018 |
| Wriddhiman Saha | 104 | 227 | 13 | 0 | 1 | West Indies | Gros Islet | August 9, 2016 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 104 | 194 | 13 | 0 | 1 | England | Birmingham | July 1, 2022 |
| Kapil Dev | 100* | 95 | 13 | 3 | 3 | West Indies | Port of Spain | March 11, 1983 |
Rishabh Pant and Kapil Dev have scored multiple centuries as No. 7 batters for India in away Tests, while Dattu Phadkar, Sandeep Patil, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha have scored one century each.
The record for the highest score by a No. 7 batter for India in an away Test is held by Pant. The 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter scored an unbeaten 159 against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2019.
Jurel is the fourth No. 7 batter after Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja to score a century for India in Tests against Sri Lanka. However, unlike Kapil, Dhoni and Jadeja, Jurel has scored his century in Sri Lanka.
