Jurel's hundred gives India command over SL in 2nd Test

COLOMBO: An unflappable Dhruv Jurel allayed concerns surrounding his form with a remarkably composed unbeaten 115 before bowlers struck early blows to give India command of the second Test against Sri Lanka on a rain-hit second day here on Monday.

Jurel's second Test hundred powered India to a hefty 503 for nine declared in their first innings, and Sri Lanka were reduced to 8 for two at close after pacer Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar gave marching orders to Lahiru Udara and Prabath Jayasuriya respectively.

Kamil Mishara was batting on five when the stumps were drawn at 5.51 pm of an extended session. The hosts are trailing by 495 runs.

But the main storyline of the day was given by Jurel, fresh from his 51 in the first innings of the opening Test last week.

If the fifty at Galle broke a barren run of eight innings, Jurel underscored his growing confidence and touch with a near flawless knock at the SSC ground.

India gained immensely from his innings, and the right-hander was also involved in two vital stands a 112 for the seventh wicket with Rishabh Pant that lifted India from 307 for six to 419.

For the subsequent wicket, Jurel and Manav Suthar added 39 runs that helped the tourists to further break away from their opponents and close in on the 500-run mark.

However, Jurel’s consistency was the key ingredient in both those partnerships. The 25-year-old’s 177-ball innings was a prime example of risk-free runs accumulation and situational awareness.

At the beginning of the day, Jurel gave full support to Pant, who came out to bat after the early dismissal of debutant Saransh Jain.

At that time, the focus was on Pant because he had to retire on 3 after copping a blow on his forearm by Lahiru Kumara on Sunday.

Jurel understood the circumstances, and gave more strike to Pant, who played a typical innings of 63, full of chutzpah.

Pant fought gallantly against Lankan pacers during his near two-hour stay at the crease, batting with confidence and little discomfort.

The eventual runs against his name might have looked good, but Pant had to dig deep to reach that mark.

Pacers Fernando and Kumara targeted his body with a bouncer barrage, and the former even managed to ping on his shoulder once.

However, Pant was equal to the task, either moving away from the line or nudging the ball around.

There was an explosive moment too, when the left-hander got inside the line to hook Kumara over fine leg for a six.

Pant, who made a 66 in the second innings at Galle, reached his fifty in 81 balls with a pulled four off off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha.

The wicketkeeper batter celebrated the moment with a thundering maximum off left-arm spinner Jayasuriya.

On the other hand, Jurel reached his fifty in 97 balls, pulling Jayasuriya for a four.

But the partnership of contrast ended immediately upon the resumption after lunch, as Pant lofted Nuwantha straight to Udara on the edge of the circle.

It left the burden right on the shoulders of Jurel, a 12-Test-old batter. But he showed the knowhow of a veteran batter to tame a delicate situation — for him and the team.

The inclusion of Sarfaraz Khan as an injury replacement for Sai Sudharsan might have also contained a little clue for Jurel to buckle up and score runs, and aced that challenge in flying colours.

True to his strengths, Jurel stayed on the back foot, negating spinners and pacers alike, and there was hardly a moment when he looked out of place while playing a shot.

The only moment of uncertainty came when Jayasuriya appealed vociferously for a leg-before decision when the batter was in 80s, but it was promptly turned down.

The skies opened up nearly 30 minutes before the scheduled tea break, leaving Jurel stranded on 95.

After a lengthy rain break of nearly two hours, Jurel duly completed his hundred with a scampered single off Fernando, and he consumed 171 balls.

Off came the helmet and Jurel proudly flashed a tattoo on his biceps to his teammates at the dressing room. The tattoo read 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' the iconic lines spoken by former PM late Lal Bahadur Shastri .

Once he went past the three-figure mark, Jurel shifted the gears, smashing Fernando for a couple of sixes one over long-off and another hook over square leg.

Skipper Shubhman Gill declared the innings once India went past the 500-run mark, hoping to have a crack at the Lankans in the last hour of the day.

But elements ensured only a limited time for India to solidify the gains they accumulated through hundreds by Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal.