Who is Saransh Jain? Veteran MP all-rounder named in India squad for Sri Lanka Test series
Saransh Jain, 33, was rewarded for consistent domestic performances and will replace the injured, Washington Sundar
Veteran Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain, at 33, has earned his maiden India Test call-up for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka. Jain, a consistent performer with both bat and ball in domestic cricket, has accumulated over 2,200 runs and 188 wickets in 54 first-class matches. His career highlights include stellar performances in the Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, and Duleep Trophy
Veteran Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain, at 33, has earned his maiden India Test call-up for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka. Jain, a consistent performer with both bat and ball in domestic cricket, has accumulated over 2,200 runs and 188 wickets in 54 first-class matches. His career highlights include stellar performances in the Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, and Duleep Trophy
Veteran Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain, at 33, has earned his maiden India Test call-up for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka. Jain, a consistent performer with both bat and ball in domestic cricket, has accumulated over 2,200 runs and 188 wickets in 54 first-class matches. His career highlights include stellar performances in the Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, and Duleep Trophy
Better late than never, they say. It holds true for veteran Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain, who earned his maiden India Test call-up today when he was named in the 15-member squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka next month.
The 33-year-old, who bowls right-arm offbreak and bats left-handed, has been a consistent performer for his state team, scoring 2,223 runs at an average of 31.75 in 54 first-class matches. Son of former MP cricketer Subodh Jain, Saransh has picked 188 wickets at 27.30. He has also played 47 List A matches and 20 T20s.
Saransh, who is employed with India Post, claimed a five-wicket haul on his Ranji Trophy debut against Tamil Nadu. The last Ranji Trophy season was his most productive, scoring 518 runs at an average of 57.55 and taking 30 wickets at 20.43.
His career highlights include a six-wicket haul against Mumbai in the 2024 Irani Cup, where he dismissed Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shardul Thakur and Shams Mulani, and the match-winning performance in the 2022 Ranji Trophy final, where he took 13 wickets and scored a half-century, helping Madhya Pradesh lift their maiden title.
In the last Duleep Trophy outing, he scored two half-centuries and took 16 wickets in two games for Central Zone, and was named the Player of the Series.
He then picked up four wickets and scored a gritty 39 for Rest of India against Vidarbha in the Irani Cup.
In June this year, he joined the senior team as a net bowler in the one-off test against Afghanistan. Washington Sundar’s unavailability for the first Test due to a hamstring injury, and the presence of several left-hand batters in the Sri Lankan side seems to have worked in Saransh’s favour.
Earlier this month, he was selected for the India A tour of Sri Lanka. In the second match of the tour, he scored an unbeaten 70 and picked up six wickets. His experience on Lankan pitches will come in handy, if he is picked in the playing XI.
If Saransh makes his Test debut, he will become the first India player to do so at the age of 33 since Robin Singh in 1998.
The Indian side led by Shubman Gill will start the tour on August 15. The first Test will be at Galle from August 15-19, while the second will be played at Colombo from August 23-27.
Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and batter Sai Sudharsan have been included subject to fitness and will undergo assessments at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence later this month before the team departs for Sri Lanka. While no official standby has been named, Vidarbha pacer Yash Thakur and Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi remain in contention in case Bumrah fails to recover fully from his impact injury.
India’s squad for Tests against Sri Lanka:
Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, and Saransh Jain.