Sarfaraz Khan vs Dhruv Jurel — Who bats at No. 6 vs Sri Lanka?

India’s No. 6 spot is one of the key selection questions ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Sarfaraz Khan has returned to the squad as a replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan, while Dhruv Jurel remains in contention after featuring in the recent warm-up game.

Interestingly, Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel made their Test debuts in the same match against England in Rajkot on February 15, 2024. Sarfaraz scored 62 and 68 in his debut Test, while Jurel made 46 runs from 104 balls. However, their Test careers have taken different paths since then.

Sarfaraz has played only six Tests and has been away from the Indian Test setup for nearly two years. Jurel, meanwhile, has featured in 10 Tests and has gradually become one of India's preferred wicketkeeping options. His ability to contribute with both the bat and gloves gives him an added advantage.

With the first Test starting on August 15, both players will be looking to make a strong case for the No. 6 position. Throughout this article, we will analyse Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel and assess who could be the better fit for India against Sri Lanka in the 2026 Tests.

Sarfaraz Khan vs Dhruv Jurel: Head-to-Head stats in Test cricket

Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel made their Test debuts in the same match against England in Rajkot in February 2024. Sarfaraz made an immediate impact, scoring 62 off 66 balls in the first innings and an unbeaten 68 in the second. Jurel also impressed with a composed 46 off 104 balls while batting lower down the order.

Sarfaraz has played six Tests and scored 371 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.10. He has one century and three fifties, with a highest score of 150. Jurel, meanwhile, has featured in 10 Tests and scored 478 runs in 16 innings at an average of 34.14. He has one century and one fifty, with a best score of 125.

Here is a look at their complete Test batting and fielding numbers:

Player	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s	4s	6s	Catches
Sarfaraz Khan	6	11	371	150	37.10	74.94	1	3	44	8	3
Dhruv Jurel	10	16	478	125	34.14	56.70	1	1	51	10	17

Overall, Sarfaraz has a better batting average and strike rate, while Jurel has scored more runs because he has played more Tests. Jurel also has a clear advantage in wicketkeeping, with 17 catches and two stumpings compared to Sarfaraz's three catches.

Sarfaraz Khan vs Dhruv Jurel against spinners

With Sri Lankan pitches expected to offer turn, playing spin well will be important for both Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel. Dhruv has played 16 Test innings and has been dismissed by spinners eight times, meaning 50% of his dismissals have come against spin. He has been dismissed by Simon Harmer 3 times, while Shoaib Bashir has dismissed him once.

Jurel's struggles against off-spin were also visible in the recent India vs Sri Lanka Cricket XI practice game, where Ramesh Mendis dismissed him in the first innings. He has also been dismissed once by Roston Chase, taking his total dismissals against off-spin to four. He has fallen twice to left-arm spinners and once to leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.

Sarfaraz, meanwhile, has played 11 Test innings and has been dismissed by spinners 7 times. He has faced particular problems against left-arm spin, with Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel dismissing him during India's 2024 series against New Zealand. Tom Hartley also dismissed him against England, while Sarfaraz has twice fallen to off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. Prabath Jayasuriya could therefore be a key threat if Sarfaraz plays in the Sri Lanka Tests.

Why Dhruv Jurel gets the edge over Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan's Test numbers do not suggest that he has failed at the international level. His best innings came against New Zealand in Bengaluru, where he scored 150. He also scored 200 runs at an average of 50 against England. However, he managed only 171 runs at an average of 28.50 against New Zealand and also registered two ducks in six innings.

Sarfaraz has been most successful at No. 4, where he has scored 150 runs in two innings at an average of 75. However, India's established top order has left little room for him at that position. At No. 6, he has played six innings and has an average of 31.20. This could be an important factor in India's decision ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests.

On the other hand, Jurel's numbers are also not outstanding, as he has scored 478 runs in 10 Tests at an average of 34.14, with one century and one half-century. However, his advantage is that he can contribute as a wicketkeeper-batter. India have more ways to fit Jurel into the playing XI, which has helped him stay ahead of Sarfaraz despite not having a much better batting record.

The final verdict: Who gets the call for the first Test?

Dhruv Jurel played the practice game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, scoring 1 in the first innings and 17 in the second. He also performed well with the bat in the India A vs Sri Lanka A series. However, his overall Test average of 34.14 is lower than Sarfaraz Khan's 37.10, so his place in the XI is not completely secure.

Sarfaraz's last game came nearly four months ago for Chennai Super Kings against Gujarat Titans, where he was dismissed for a duck. However, his ability to play spin with a wide range of strokes could work in his favour in Sri Lanka. He has scored 371 runs in six Tests at an average of 37.10, including one century and three fifties. The injury to Sai Sudharsan has also given him another chance to return to the Test setup.

Jurel, meanwhile, has earned the trust of the Indian team with his ability to handle pressure and contribute as a wicketkeeper-batter. Sarfaraz will need to show that he has improved the areas that affected his place in the team earlier. If India decide to play only one wicketkeeper and use Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz could get the edge at No. 6 because of his batting record and ability against spin.