New Delhi: India’s Dhruv Jurel notched up his second Test century on Monday, on Day 2 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. Upon reaching the milestone with a quick single, the 25-year-old wicketkeeper-batter raised his bat and then slightly pulled his sleeve for the cameras. On his forearm is a tattoo in Hindi that reads: “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.” It’s a slogan coined by former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who raised it in 1965 in honour of the country’s soldiers and farmers.
Speaking to reporters after the day’s play, Jurel said the tattoo was a tribute to his father and grandfather. His father, Nem Chand Jurel, served in the Indian Army as a Havildar and fought in the 1999 Kargil War. His grandfather was a farmer.
“Those are my roots, where I came from, and I don’t want to forget it. So that salutation was for my father and grandfather,” he said at the press conference.
Jurel resumed the day at 300 for 5 alongside Rishabh Pant. The pair added 112 runs for the eighth wicket before Pant fell for 63. Jurel then completed his hundred by driving a ball from Asitha Fernando over the bowler’s head and diving to complete a risky single.
He remained unbeaten on 115 off 177 deliveries, scoring nine boundaries and two sixes. This was Jurel’s first century in Sri Lanka and second since his debut against England in February 2024 at Rajkot.
India declared their first innings at 503 for 9 and put Sri Lanka in to bat for three overs. Sri Lanka’s poor run continued as Lahiru Udara was caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal off Prasidh Krishna, before spinner Manav Suthar got Prabath Jayasuriya out lbw on what proved to be the last ball of the day.
India currently lead the two-match series 1-0, having won the first Test in Galle by 165 runs.