India's Dhruv Jurel celebrates his century as batting partner India's Mohammed Siraj, left, watches during day two of the second cricket test match between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026.

com in Colombo: Off the pads and away it went in a flash for a boundary. The two fielders positioned at deep mid-wicket and long-on were mere spectators as Dhruv Jurel moved to 95, within striking distance of a well-deserved hundred.

There was a slight delay for the right-hander as the ground staff rushed in with the big covers. However, the match resumed and when the moment finally happened, relief was written all over the youngster's face as he took off his helmet.

Jurel took his sweet time getting from 99 to three figures, and the 100th run was almost suicidal as he just hit and ran for his life. The fielder at mid-off collected cleanly but couldn't hit the stumps.

A diving Jurel reached the magical number, stood up, soaked in the moment and celebrated with his overjoyed partner Mohammed Siraj, who played his part by holding up one end. There were so many storylines for this series, but Jurel's was the most important.

Not Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3 and not Manav Suthar as the finger spinner, but Jurel as the specialist batter, and whether he had it in him to retain his spot for the remainder of the cycle.

The Indian team management has been mighty impressed with his work ethic and technique but was running out of patience with his inability to make meaningful contributions. India's Dhruv Jurel celebrates his century as batting partner India's Mohammed Siraj, left, watches during day two of the second cricket test match between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Aug.

24, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) After the whitewash against South Africa, where he scored only 29 runs in four innings, the pressure mounted further, and the message conveyed was, "time to show that you are more than just a wicketkeeper-batter".

The think tank backed him ahead of other specialist options for a spot in the Playing XI because of what they saw in the nets and on shadow tours. However, when this didn't translate into consistency in Indian whites, his clock was set on borrowed time.

In more ways than one, this was a make-or-break series for Jurel. Sarfaraz Khan was breathing down his neck, and the time was right to make his India A exposure in Galle count.