Ahmedabad, Oct 3 (UNI) Towards evening at Narendra Modi Stadium, Dhruv Jurel today played a knock that will linger long in Indian cricket lore as the wicketkeeper-batsman notched his maiden Test century, a patient and sparkling 125 off 210 balls, but it was the gestures and soulful celebrations that truly stole the show.
On reaching fifty, Jurel raised his fist in a simple, heartfelt salute to his father, Nem Chand, a retired Havildar and Kargil War veteran. By the time the century arrived, he stood tall, bat held upright, mimicking a guard-of-honour, a silent tribute to the Indian Army. “My fifty celebration was for my father. The hundred celebration was for the Indian Army because I have seen how hard they work. They deserve it,” Jurel said after the day’s play.
The innings was not just a personal milestone, it was a statement. India, having lost wickets steadily early in the day, found a rock-solid anchor in Jurel, who combined grit with flashes of audacious strokeplay, hitting 15 fours and three sixes.
Ravindra Jadeja, unbeaten on 104, partnered him in a 206-run fifth-wicket stand, narrowly missing the Indian record against West Indies for that position, held by VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar’s 214-run stand in Kolkata, 2002. Together, they rewrote the script, leaving the West Indies spinners searching for answers.
KL Rahul, finally ending his home-ground century drought, joined the party with a patient 100 off 197 balls. The three contrasting styles – Rahul’s stoic patience, Jurel’s emotive brilliance, and Jadeja’s measured dominance — wove a rich tapestry of batting mastery.
Each shot, each run, was a reaffirmation of India’s upper hand. By stumps, India had reached 448 for 5 in 128 overs, a massive lead of 286 runs, the scoreboard a clear warning to the West Indies camp: the game was slipping away.
It was a day when cricket became more than numbers. It became emotion, tribute, and history. The salute has already become Jurel’s signature, first seen during his maiden Test fifty against England in 2024. Yet today, with the fans sensing the pulse of history, every cheer resonated with pride – for the player, for his father, and for the Indian Army.
