Dhruv Jurel marked his century in the second Test against Sri Lanka with a special celebration, revealing a “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan” tattoo on his bicep in Colombo on Monday.

Jurel reached his century after spending 22 deliveries on 99. After taking a risky single to complete the milestone, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter punched the air, removed his helmet and revealed the tattoo as his teammates celebrated.

Jurel remained unbeaten on 115 off 177 deliveries, while his century also saw him achieve a unique feat in Test cricket in Sri Lanka.

Jurel enters record books with century

Jurel became the second Indian batter to score a century from No. 7 or below in a Test match in Sri Lanka.

His unbeaten 115 is also the highest individual score by an Indian batter batting at No. 7 or below in a Test in Sri Lanka, according to the provided match report.

The century also made Jurel the first Indian batter to score a century from No. 7 during a Test series in Sri Lanka. The earlier century mentioned in the report came from Hardik while batting at No. 8.

Jurel seeks Pant’s advice

Jurel also spoke about batting alongside Rishabh Pant and said he regularly seeks advice from the experienced wicketkeeper-batter.

Jurel said Pant’s experience makes his presence valuable, particularly because both players are wicketkeepers who bat in the middle order.

He also explained that he does not try to imitate Pant’s aggressive style. Instead, Jurel focuses on identifying which bowler to attack and deciding which spells he needs to negotiate.

Jurel said he dedicated his second Test century to his parents.

Jurel gives Pant fitness update

Jurel also provided an update on Pant after the latter was unable to take over wicketkeeping duties towards the end of the day’s play.

According to Jurel, Pant had taken a hit on his right shoulder and the team was closely monitoring his condition.

Jurel said he took over wicketkeeping because Pant’s shoulder was not in good condition and expressed hope that Pant would be fit the following day.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said members of Generation Z (Gen Z) should not be labelled anti-national merely because they participate in protests. Speaking at the Mumbai Conference titled ‘The Role of Youth in Uniting the World, the Indian Way’, he said young protesters are “our own people” and their concerns should be addressed through dialogue.

Bhagwat said that while protests are part of democracy, they should be carried out through democratic means. He also expressed confidence in the younger generation, describing Gen Z and Gen Alpha as more honest and receptive to the values of patriotism and public service.

Bhagwat calls dialogue essential in a democracy

Addressing the conference, Bhagwat said Gen Z should not be viewed as anti-national for raising concerns.

“If the Gen Z is agitating, they certainly aren’t anti-nationals; they are our own people, our next generation,” he said, adding that a sense of belonging and continuous dialogue are necessary to resolve differences.

He also said that while he would not discourage protests, democracy provides appropriate ways to express dissent.

Says protest is a legitimate form of dialogue

Bhagwat described protests as a democratic mechanism when regular communication fails to resolve issues.

He said that if discussions do not produce results, people naturally raise their voices to draw attention to unresolved concerns, calling protests another form of dialogue in a democratic society.

RSS chief compares Gen Z with earlier generations

Reflecting on generational differences, Bhagwat said today’s youth are more inclined to question authority than previous generations.

According to him, earlier generations generally accepted what elders said without questioning, whereas Gen Z and Gen Alpha seek logical explanations before accepting viewpoints.

He also remarked that he considers the younger generation more honest and said he would readily place his trust in Gen Z.

Remarks come after student protests in Delhi

Bhagwat’s comments come days after student protests in Delhi over alleged undergraduate medical entrance examination paper leaks. The demonstrations, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, resulted in the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

When asked whether earlier dialogue could have prevented the situation from escalating, Bhagwat said that if an undesirable situation develops, there must have been shortcomings somewhere that need to be identified and corrected.

On pellet gun allegations

Responding to a question about the reported use of pellet guns against protesting students, Bhagwat said he did not have complete information about the incident.

He said he would need to examine the facts before commenting on what happened or determining where responsibility lay.

The future of Ajit Agarkar as the chairman of the BCCI’s senior men’s selection committee is reportedly uncertain, with a media report claiming that the board is considering appointing former India batter VVS Laxman as his successor.

According to the report, Agarkar’s tenure as chief selector was originally scheduled to conclude in June 2026. However, he received a three-month extension from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). While another extension until the end of the 2027 ODI World Cup was reportedly expected, recent developments surrounding Rohit Sharma’s ODI future have complicated the situation.

Rohit Sharma’s ODI future reportedly became a key issue

The report states that discussions over Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s ODI setup have emerged as a major factor in the ongoing developments.

It claims that ahead of India’s three-match ODI series against England, there were indications that the series could mark Rohit’s final appearance in the format. The report further alleges that the Agarkar-led selection committee had discussed with the Gautam Gambhir-led team management the possibility of leaving the veteran batter out of future ODI assignments.

However, the situation reportedly changed after speculation emerged that the third ODI at Lord’s would be Rohit’s last match. Rohit responded with a century in that game, a performance that, according to the report, put both the selectors and team management in a difficult position.

BCCI secretary issues clarification on Rohit’s future

Following the speculation, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia publicly dismissed suggestions that the Lord’s ODI would be Rohit’s final appearance in the format.

“Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team, and he will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. In other words, the Lord’s ODI won’t be his last match,” Saikia told PTI.

The report also claims that some individuals involved in managing the Indian team do not favour Rohit’s participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup, though no official announcement has been made by the BCCI on the matter.

Review meeting yet to take place

According to the report, the BCCI had planned a review meeting after India’s tour of England following the team’s eight defeats in ten matches across the Ireland and England tours.

However, the meeting has reportedly not taken place. The Indian team has since travelled to Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series without the scheduled review being held.

As of now, the BCCI has not officially announced any decision regarding Ajit Agarkar’s tenure as chief selector or any appointment of VVS Laxman as his replacement.