India sprung a surprise with the selection of Saransh Jain for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka, handing the all-rounder his maiden international call-up. The opportunity came after Washington Sundar was ruled out through injury, opening the door for Saransh to break into the senior squad.
The left-handed batter and off-spinner has steadily built an impressive domestic record, playing a key role in Madhya Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy triumph under Chandrakant Pandit. He further strengthened his case on the recent India A tour of Sri Lanka, picking up six wickets across two matches and scoring a determined unbeaten 70. With the Indian team in the middle of a transition and still searching for a long-term successor to Ravichandran Ashwin, Saransh now has a chance to stake his claim. While Washington remains the leading option, questions over his wicket-taking impact have kept the competition for the specialist spin-bowling role wide open.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin welcomed Saransh Jain’s maiden India call-up, saying the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder has earned the opportunity through consistent performances. Ashwin praised Saransh’s attacking style of off-spin bowling and expressed hope that, despite the stiff competition for places in India’s spin department, the newcomer would get a chance to showcase his abilities at the international level.
“I am very happy for him. I have seen him. I think very highly of him. He bowls wide off the crease. He attacks. He is a different type of off-spinner. His job is to take wickets. He has done a very commendable job. I hope he gets a chance. Manav will play. Jadeja and Kuldeep will play, so he might have to sit out too. But I really hope because he has it in him to perform,” he said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.
