New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Persistence has finally paid off for Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain. After spending more than a decade proving his worth in India’s domestic circuit, the 33-year-old has earned his first senior India call-up for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, replacing the injured Washington Sundar in the squad.
The selection is the culmination of years of steady performances rather than a sudden breakthrough. Jain’s consistent returns with both bat and ball in domestic cricket, coupled with a standout India A tour of Sri Lanka, convinced the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel to hand him an opportunity at the highest level.
A right-arm off-spinner who bats left-handed, Jain fits the profile of the all-rounder India were looking for after Sundar was ruled out with a hamstring injury sustained during the recently concluded ODI series against England. With Sri Lanka expected to field several left-handed batters and spin likely to dominate conditions, the selectors opted for a like-for-like replacement.
Born in Indore, Jain comes from a cricketing family. His father, Subodh Jain, represented Madhya Pradesh as a right-arm off-spinner in nine Ranji Trophy matches but never progressed to international cricket. Years later, his son has achieved what eluded him, earning a place in the Indian Test squad.
Interestingly, Jain’s rise was far from immediate. Although he made his first-class debut for Madhya Pradesh in December 2014, opportunities were initially limited, and he remained on the fringes of the side for several seasons. His career trajectory changed under veteran coach Chandrakant Pandit, who backed him as a genuine spin-bowling all-rounder and helped mould him into a dependable match-winner.
The defining chapter of his domestic career arrived during Madhya Pradesh’s historic Ranji Trophy triumph in 2022. Having played only eight first-class matches before that season, Jain emerged as one of the architects of the title-winning campaign. He claimed 13 wickets during the knockout stages and also produced a valuable half-century, including a crucial first-innings fifty in the final against Mumbai at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where he combined with Rajat Patidar to establish a decisive advantage before contributing key wickets with the ball.
Since then, his consistency has made him one of the country’s most reliable red-ball all-rounders. In 54 first-class appearances, Jain has accumulated 2,223 runs at an average of 31.75, including two centuries, while claiming 188 wickets at 27.30. Across white-ball cricket, he has also featured in 67 List A and T20 matches, although it is the longer format where he has built his reputation.
His latest domestic season further strengthened his credentials. Jain finished the Ranji Trophy with 518 runs at an impressive average of 57.55 while collecting 30 wickets in just seven matches at 20.43. Before that, he dominated the Duleep Trophy for Central Zone, scoring two half-centuries and taking 16 wickets in only two matches to finish as the Player of the Series.
The final push towards national selection came earlier this month during India A’s tour of Sri Lanka. While the opening unofficial Test was relatively quiet, Jain produced a complete all-round display in the second four-day game in Galle, remaining unbeaten on 70 before claiming six wickets to steer India A to victory. Those performances demonstrated his effectiveness in conditions similar to those expected during the upcoming Test series.
Away from domestic cricket, Jain has often spoken about drawing inspiration from one of India’s greatest spin-bowling all-rounders like Ravichandran Ashwin.
Ironically, despite establishing himself as one of the domestic circuit’s premier all-rounders, Jain has never found a buyer in the Indian Premier League. He entered the IPL auctions in 2024, 2025 and 2026 but went unsold on each occasion, including after making the final shortlist last year.
Now, however, the IPL snubs have been overshadowed by the biggest opportunity of his career. Whether he walks straight into India’s playing XI remains one of the key selection decisions ahead of the first Test. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav appear certain starters if India field three spinners.
The remaining berth is expected to be contested between Jain and left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who impressed on debut against Afghanistan. With Jadeja already providing a left-arm spin option and Sri Lanka expected to field multiple left-handers, Jain’s off-spin could tilt the balance in his favour.
Should he receive his cap, Jain will script another remarkable milestone by becoming the first Indian cricketer to make his Test debut after the age of 33 since Robin Singh in 1998, a fitting reward for a player whose journey has been defined by patience, perseverance and sustained excellence in domestic cricket.
–IANS
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