South African spinner Simon Harmer took his second wicket of the innings as Indian batsman Dhruv Jurel offered a catch-and-bowled opportunity on Day 2 (Saturday, November 15) of the first Test. Harmer took a brilliant catch from his own bowling to dismiss Jurel, who looked dangerous, to Eden Gardens.
India ended the opening day at 37/1, with KL Rahul and Washington Sundar at the crease. The hosts were at 138/4 at the lunch break on Day 2, with Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel in the middle. Earlier in the session, skipper Shubman Gill had to pull out injured after a short stay, leaving the field with a neck injury.
Watch: Simon Harmer takes stunning catch from his own bowling to dismiss Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel’s batting came to an end on the third ball of the 49th over when Simon Harmer made a sharp catch-and-bowled effort. The Indian batsman, who looked to be in good touch with three boundaries, tried to tap a pitched delivery down the leg side but ended up with the timing wrong.
The ball took a leading edge and spun back to Harmer, who reacted quickly and dived forward to complete a low catch, inches above the turf. The on-field officials sent up the call to confirm the legality of the catch, and replays showed Harmer’s fingers were clearly under the ball.
Notably, he left wicket India behind by five in their first innings. Simon Harmer made the breakthrough immediately after the lunch break and brought the visiting team back into the game.
Check out the video of the same posted by a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) below:
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— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) November 15, 2025
Simon Harmer strikes twice as South Africa fights back against India on Day 2
South Africa made a strong comeback on Day 2 of the first Test after an impressive spell from Simon Harmer. The off-spinner broke a 57-run stand between KL Rahul and Washington Sundar. He removed Sundar before sending Dhruv Jurel back to the pavilion.
Keshav Maharaj removed KL Rahul for 39, while Corbin Bosch dismissed Rishabh Pant for 27. Earlier on Day 1, Marco Jansen had given South Africa their first breakthrough by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal for 12.
Indian captain Shubman Gill, meanwhile, retired injured after scoring just four runs due to a neck sprain, as confirmed by the BCCI. At the time of writing, India were 184/7 after 59 overs, with Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj at the crease. It remains uncertain whether Gill will return to work.
Dhruv Jurel leads run scorer in India A vs South Africa An unofficial Test series
Dhruv Jurel showed remarkable consistency in the India A vs South Africa unofficial Test series where he emerged as the leading run-scorer. He struck centuries in both innings of the second match and finished the series with a total of 259 runs.
Jurel scored his maiden century against West Indies in Ahmedabad to help India secure a win in the home opener. He made his Test debut in early 2024. The Agra-born wicketkeeper-batsman has scored 444 runs at an impressive average of 44.7 in eight matches.
Jurel didn’t keep any wickets in South Africa’s innings, as Rishabh Pant returned to reclaim the role behind the stumps. He is one of India’s brightest young players in red ball cricket.
Also read: Shubman Gill retired after just 3 balls, feared for neck injury
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