India’s rising wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel produced a breathtaking display of power-hitting in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, smashing an unbeaten 160 off 101 balls to power Uttar Pradesh to a commanding total against Baroda at the Sanosara Cricket Ground ‘A’.
The knock marked Jurel’s maiden List A century and career-best score, instantly entering Uttar Pradesh folklore with multiple records tumbling in a single innings.
Dhruv Jurel rescues Uttar Pradesh after early wickets
Put in to bat, Uttar Pradesh were wobbling at 92/3 when Jurel walked in at No. 3. Openers Abhishek Goswami (51) and Aryan Juyal (26) had provided a steady 77-run platform, but quick wickets threatened to derail the innings.
Jurel first stabilised proceedings alongside captain Rinku Singh, who chipped in with a fluent 63 off 67 balls. Once set, Jurel flipped the switch, turning consolidation into outright domination.
The most astonishing phase of Jurel’s innings came after he reached three figures. He rocketed from 100 to 150 in only 19 balls, shattering Uttar Pradesh’s all-time record for the fastest List A fifty by a team batter.
His final tally featured 15 fours and 8 sixes, scored at a blistering strike rate of 158.42, as UP surged to 369/7 – their third-highest List A total.
Baroda’s bowlers had no answers once Jurel found his range. Fast bowler Rasikh Salam endured a torrid outing, conceding 55 runs off just 14 balls to Jurel – the most runs ever conceded by a Baroda bowler in a List A innings.
The assault symbolised the mismatch between batter and bowler during Jurel’s peak, as boundaries flowed to all parts of the ground.
Highest individual List A score for UP
Jurel’s unbeaten 160 eclipsed long-standing records to become Uttar Pradesh’s highest individual List A score. He went past:
- Aryan Juyal’s 159 vs Maharashtra (2022)
- Madhav Kaushik’s 158 not out vs Mumbai (2021)
The innings also surpassed Jurel’s own recent highs – 80 off 61 balls vs Hyderabad five days earlier and 67 off 57 vs Chandigarh – highlighting his rapid upward curve.
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Wicketkeeper debate intensifies ahead of New Zealand ODIs
At just 24, Jurel’s knock strengthens his credentials amid the ongoing discussion around India’s backup wicketkeeper options, especially with the Rishabh Pant-Ishan Kishan debate dominating selection chatter ahead of the New Zealand ODI series.
This was Jurel’s third straight fifty-plus score in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, taking his tally to 307 runs in the competition. His recent India A twin centuries against South Africa further bolster his white-ball résumé.
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