The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) handed Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain a maiden senior call-up to the national team for the two-match Test series on Tuesday. Saransh was named in the squad as a replacement for Washington Sundar, who was unavailable for selection due to an injury. A right-arm off-break bowler and a capable left-handed lower-middle-order batsman, Saransh acts as a utility player down the order and serves as a direct like-for-like replacement for Sundar.
The 33-year-old off-spinning all-rounder from Indore has been a consistent performer in domestic red-ball cricket for over a decade. Making his First-Class debut for Madhya Pradesh in December 2014, he steadily developed into a core player for his state team, Central Zone, and Rest of India. Operating primarily as a spin bowler and a handy lower-order batter, he has amassed 181 First-Class wickets alongside 2,223 runs with the bat.
Cricket runs in the family: Saransh’s father, Subodh Jain, was also a right-arm off-break bowler who represented Madhya Pradesh in nine Ranji Trophy matches during his playing days, though he never earned an international call-up. Saransh discovered his best form under veteran domestic coach Chandrakant Pandit, transitioning from an occasional squad member into a frontline, match-winning all-rounder.
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He played a vital role in Madhya Pradesh’s historic first-ever Ranji Trophy triumph in 2022. In the final against Mumbai at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, he scored a crucial first-innings half-century alongside Rajat Patidar and took key wickets to secure a decisive first-innings lead.
Saransh Jain has earned his maiden Test call-upÂ
Take a look at the new off-spinner, who set the stage on fire with his stunning 5/49 in the Duleep Trophy final.  pic.twitter.com/VIlTxFDhAy
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) July 28, 2026
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee handed him his maiden Test call-up as a reward for his strong displays for India A against Sri Lanka A. Most notably, he took six wickets and scored a crucial unbeaten 70 in the second unofficial Test, demonstrating his ability to excel in subcontinental, spin-friendly conditions.
Despite being on the national radar in red-ball cricket, Saransh has surprisingly never been picked by an IPL franchise. He registered himself in the IPL 2024, 2025, and 2026 auctions, but failed to attract a single bid. Even after making the final shortlist in last year’s auction, he went unsold.
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