Saransh Jain earns maiden India call-up: Why is 33-year-old spinner included in India Test squad for Sri Lanka tour
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Saransh Jain earns maiden India call-up: Why is 33-year-old spinner included in India Test squad for Sri Lanka tour originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Saransh Jain, 33, gets maiden India Test call-up for Sri Lanka.
- Injury to Washington Sundar opens door for MP off-spinner.
- Jain faces an uphill battle to break settled spin trio's grip.
Late bloomer Saransh Jain earns maiden Test cap: Why was the 33-year-old spinner included in India Test squad for Sri Lanka tour
Off-spinning all-rounder Saransh Jain has been rewarded with his first-ever Test call-up, joining India's squad for the upcoming two-match series in Sri Lanka this August. It is a breakthrough that arrives at the relatively advanced cricketing age of 33.
The Madhya Pradesh cricketer's inclusion comes after Washington Sundar's fitness setback, with the regular spinner ruled out of the series opener following his hamstring injury during India's recent ODI series against England.
That absence opened a path for Jain, whose recent form made him a natural candidate to step in. He had impressed during India A's tour of Sri Lanka, contributing an unbeaten 70 with the bat before following it up with a six-wicket haul in the second four-day fixture.
What are Saransh Jain's domestic numbers?
Jain's overall first-class numbers prove him as a quality all-rounder, having amassed 2,223 runs at an average of 31.75, including two centuries. He has also taken 188 wickets at an average of 27.30 across 54 matches.
His domestic season last year was particularly impressive, with 30 wickets in just seven Ranji Trophy matches.
Here's a look at Jain's full bowling record across formats, along with his recent match performances heading into this call-up:
FormatMatInnsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR5wFC549751341886/759/7127.303.0154.310List A47451618383/293/2942.574.3259.10Ravindra Jadeja returns; the squad retains a familiar core
Elsewhere in the squad, Ravindra Jadeja has been cleared to return after recovering from tennis elbow, rejoining a 15-member group that otherwise looks largely settled.
Jasprit Bumrah is back to lead the pace attack, though both he and current number three batter Sai Sudharsan have been selected subject to fitness clearance.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, currently among several players stationed at the Centre of Excellence, has not been included in the squad for this tour.
MORE: India squad for Sri Lanka Test series 2026: Full team lists for IND vs SL red-ball series
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Why cracking the India playing XI won't be easy for Jain
Getting picked in the squad is one thing, but forcing his way into India's starting eleven is an entirely different challenge for Jain. India's spin department already looks settled with Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar forming a well-established trio, and none of them appears at risk of losing their place purely due to Jain's inclusion in the squad.
Jadeja's experience remains crucial for a Shubman Gill-led side still working to recover from a difficult home season, one that included a stunning 0-2 series loss to South Africa and India's heaviest-ever Test defeat, an eventual 408-run hammering in Guwahati.
Jain could carve out an opportunity through his batting, an area that head coach Gautam Gambhir has consistently valued in team combinations.
If Sundar's recovery drags on or team management wants extra batting depth down the order, Jain's all-round profile might work in his favour. However, for now, he makes him a realistic bench option rather than a guaranteed starter.
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India vs Sri Lanka Test series 2026 schedule
The two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka has been scheduled to take place in August 2026, with the first Test match set in Galle on August 15 before the next one in Colombo.
MatchDateVenue1st TestAugust 15-19, 2026Galle2nd TestAugust 23-27, 2026SSC, ColomboFor all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.