Jurel unveils 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan' tattoo after Colombo Test hundred
Dhruv Jurel revealed a "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan" tattoo on his left bicep after scoring his second Test century for India in Colombo in the second Test on August 24, 2026. The wicketkeeper-batter celebrated the milestone on the field following a tense finish to his time on 99.
Jurel spent 22 deliveries on 99 before completing the hundred, and he visibly celebrated by punching the air, removing his helmet and taking in the applause before pulling up his sleeve to show the tattoo. Mohammed Siraj rushed across to embrace him after a missed direct hit, having blocked and defended at the other end as Jurel moved toward the landmark.
The century was secured after a dramatic close call when Asitha Fernando bowled full around off and Jurel drove hard to mid-off before calling for a quick single. The ball bounced awkwardly, the fielder reacted swiftly and threw at the stumps, and Jurel required a full-length dive to make his ground; the direct hit did not come, allowing him to reach three figures.
Jurel advanced his score to 115 off 177 balls as India passed 500, the team reaching 503 for 9 before declaring with Jurel unbeaten. He was the second centurion of India’s innings, and India crossed the 500-run mark while giving themselves around an hour to bowl at Sri Lanka that day.
Jurel had come in with India at 296/5 late on the first day, survived a few deliveries and returned on Day 2 to settle into his innings. His only notable moment of discomfort came when Prabath Jayasuriya beat his bat with an arm ball and appealed for lbw; the appeal was turned down. He then shared a 112-run partnership with Rishabh Pant, who made 63, a stand that took India beyond 400 before Jurel continued with the lower order to push the total past 460.
This hundred followed a match-winning 51 off 68 in India’s victory in the first Test, giving Jurel back-to-back scores of 50 or more in the series. The second Test century also took his Test aggregate beyond 600 runs at an average of more than 35 from 12 Tests; his maiden Test hundred came against West Indies last year and he has two other fifties to his name. Both of Jurel’s 50-plus scores in away Tests have come in this series.
Jurel’s century placed him in a rare category for Indian batters in Sri Lanka: he became only the second Indian to record a Test hundred from No. 7 or lower in Sri Lanka, after Hardik Pandya’s 108 at Pallekele in 2017.
