South African spinner Simon Harmer took his second wicket of the innings as Indian batsman Dhruv Jurel was caught and bowled by Indian batsman Dhruv Jurel on the second day of the first Test (Saturday, November 15). Harmer took a brilliant catch of his own ball to dismiss Jurrell who was looking dangerous at Eden Gardens.
India ended the first day at 37/1, with KL Rahul and Washington Sundar at the crease. By lunch break on the second day, the hosts’ score was 138/4, with Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel in the middle. Earlier in the session, captain Shubman Gill had to retire hurt after a brief spell and had to leave the field due to a neck injury.
WATCH: Simon Harmer takes a brilliant catch off his own bowling to dismiss Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel’s innings ended on the third ball of the 49th over when Simon Harmer attempted a sharp catch-and-bowl. The Indian batsman, who looked to be in good form with three fours, tried to flick the ball pitched down the leg side but was out at the wrong time.
The ball took a leading edge and bounced back to Harmer, who reacted immediately and dived forward to complete a low catch a few inches above the turf. The on-field umpires sent the decision over to confirm the validity of the catch, and replays showed that Harmer’s fingers were clearly under the ball.
Notably, he had dropped five wickets for India in the first innings. Simon Harmer scored a breakthrough shortly after the lunch break to bring the visitors back into the match.
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On the second day, with the help of two goals from Simon Harmer, South Africa gave a tough fight to India.
South Africa made a strong comeback on the second day of the first Test after a brilliant spell by Simon Harmer. The off-spinner broke the 57-run partnership between KL Rahul and Washington Sundar. He dismissed Sundar before sending Dhruv Jurel back to the pavilion.
Keshav Maharaj dismissed KL Rahul for 39 runs, while Corbin Bosch dismissed Rishabh Pant for 27 runs. Earlier on Day 1, Marco Johnson had given South Africa its first success by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal for 12 runs.
Meanwhile, India captain Shubman Gill retired hurt after scoring just four runs due to neck cramps, as confirmed by the BCCI. Till the time of writing the news, India’s score was 184/7 after 59 overs, Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj were at the crease. It remains uncertain whether Gill will return to bat or not.
Dhruv Jurel leading run-scorer in India A vs South Africa A unofficial Test series
Dhruv Jurel displayed remarkable consistency in the India A vs South Africa A unofficial Test series, where he emerged as the leading run-scorer. He scored centuries in both innings of the second match and finished the series with a total of 259 runs.
Jurel scored his maiden century against the West Indies in Ahmedabad, helping India secure an innings victory in their home opener. He made his Test debut in early 2024. The Agra-born wicketkeeper-batsman has scored 444 runs in eight matches at an impressive average of 44.7.
Jurel remained wicketless in South Africa’s innings, as Rishabh Pant returned to reclaim the role behind the stumps. He is one of India’s brightest young prospects in red-ball cricket.
Also read: Shubman Gill out after just 3 balls, fear of neck injury
