India captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir face a key selection dilemma ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, with the battle for the No. 6 spot emerging as one of the major talking points.
The Indian team management is reportedly weighing Dhruv Jurel against the returning Sarfaraz Khan for the middle-order position. While Jurel has shown considerable promise in Test cricket, his recent run of inconsistent performances has raised questions over his place in the playing XI.
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With Rishabh Pant established as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper, Jurel has largely featured as a specialist batter in his 10 Tests. However, the 25-year-old has failed to register a half-century in his last six Test innings, increasing the pressure on him to deliver with the bat.
Jurel endured a difficult outing during India’s 0-2 home Test series defeat to South Africa in November 2025. According to a report, the team management has conveyed to Jurel that he needs to improve his performances significantly if he is to continue playing as a specialist batter.
The management was reportedly particularly concerned not only by his low scores but also by the manner in which he lost his wicket.
Jurel scored 19 in India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in June. He subsequently found form for India A, scoring a century and a fifty against Sri Lanka A. However, he failed to carry that momentum into India’s warm-up match ahead of the upcoming Test series, recording scores of 1 and 17.
His recent struggles have seen his Test batting average fall to 34.14 after 10 matches.
The return of Sarfaraz Khan has further intensified the competition for the No. 6 position. Sarfaraz has played four fewer Tests than Jurel but has already matched his tally of centuries while registering two more half-centuries.
With both players competing for the same spot, Gill and Gambhir will have to decide whether to persist with Jurel or hand Sarfaraz another opportunity in the middle order.
The decision could have implications beyond the Galle Test, with the competition for the No. 6 position potentially becoming a longer-term selection battle for India’s Test side.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
