Dhruv Jurel Joins MS Dhoni In Elite Wicketkeeper Club

Dhruv Jurel etched his name in Indian cricket history by smashing his maiden Test century against the West Indies on Day 2 of the first Test in Ahmedabad. The young wicketkeeper-batter reached the milestone with a boundary off the final ball of the 116th over, completing his hundred in 190 balls.

With this brilliant innings, Jurel became only the sixth Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test century against the West Indies, joining a prestigious list that includes the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The achievement is a significant personal milestone and a proud moment for Indian cricket, as Jurel continues to showcase his potential on the international stage.

Following The Footsteps Of Legends

The list of Indian wicketkeepers who have scored centuries against the West Indies is a distinguished one. Vijay Manjrekar was the first to do so, scoring 118 in the 1953 Kingston Test. Fourteen years later, Farokh Engineer followed with a century (109) in Chennai in 1967. Ajay Ratra added his name to the list in 2002, while MS Dhoni did so in 2011.

Wriddhiman Saha, who took over as India’s main wicketkeeper after Dhoni’s retirement, also achieved the feat in 2016. Now, Dhruv Jurel joins these stalwarts, further highlighting India’s rich legacy of wicketkeeper-batters. He is also the 12th Indian wicketkeeper overall to score a Test century, and notably, five of them have reached the milestone against the West Indies.

A Record-Breaking Partnership And Historic Feat

Jurel’s performance was crucial for India in the ongoing match. Coming in at No. 5, he built a match-defining partnership of over 175 runs with Ravindra Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 80 from 137 balls. The partnership not only steadied the Indian innings but also put them in a commanding position. Jurel’s century marked the third by a designated Indian wicketkeeper in 2025, with the other two scored by Rishabh Pant.

This is the most Test centuries by Indian wicketkeepers in a single calendar year and the joint second-most by any team, only behind South Africa’s four in 2013. With his composed and determined batting, Jurel has announced his arrival as a long-term prospect for India in red-ball cricket, and his performance will be remembered as a milestone in the evolving role of wicketkeeper-batters in modern cricket.