The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on July 28 announced the squad for two-Test series against Sri Lanka next month. 33-year-old Saransh Jain has received maiden call-up as replacement for an injured Washington Sundar who was unavailable for selection for the first Test.
Yet to regain fitness, no.3 batter Sai Sudharsan and pace-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah have been named in the side but their participation is subject to fitness.
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India’s squad for Tests against Sri Lanka
Shubman Gill [C], KL Rahul [VC], 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, Saransh Jain
India’s schedule for Test series vs Sri Lanka
The Test series will begin on August 15 in Galle. The second Test will be played in Colombo, starting August 23. Before the series, India will play a four-day practice match in Colombo which will commence on August 7.
Saransh Jain proved mettle in IND A vs SL A
Jain was a part of India A side that went up against Sri Lanka A recently. After an underwhelming first match in Galle, he claimed six wickets including a four-fer in the second. Also, he scored an unbeaten 70. The Dhruv Jurel-led India A won the second unofficial Test by 10 wickets and the series 1-0.
Overall, Jain has played 54 first-class games. The right-arm off-spinner has 188 wickets at an average of 27.30, including 10 fifers. With the bat, the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder has 2,223 runs from 85 innings, averaging 31.75. He has two tons and 14 fifties in the format.
Players from one-off Afghanistan Test squad who didn't make the cut
With Ravindra Jadeja returning and Manav Suthar claiming eight wickets on his Test debut, left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey didn't find a place in the squad. Dubey had made his ODI debut in England, taking four wickets from two games. He is yet to make his debut in Tests. Another player from Afghanistan Test who won't be on flight to Sri Lanka is all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. He sustained a quadriceps injury during the ODI series against Afghanistan and was ruled out of UK and Zimbabwe tour as well.