Saransh Jain gets his big India break at 33: Why did Kuldeep Yadav miss the Colombo Test?

The murmurs had begun right after the series opener in Galle last week. The signs, thereafter, were telling. The confirmation eventually came just minutes before the start of the second and final Test of India’s campaign in Sri Lanka, with the management resting Kuldeep Yadav for the Colombo game to make way for Saransh Jain. At 33 years and 145 days, the Madhya Pradesh cricketer is all set to make his international debut for India.

Saransh received his cap from senior member of the squad, Ravindra Jadeja , just 15 minutes before the toss on Sunday at the SSC ground in Colombo.

India captain Shubman Gill later confirmed the change after winning the toss and opting to bat first in the second Test, but stressed that Kuldeep had not been dropped. He was, instead, rested.

“Kuldeep, unfortunately, had some infections, so he misses out,” Gill said, referring to the only change India made to the playing XI.

The details of Kuldeep’s illness were later revealed by the BCCI. “Kuldeep Yadav has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection in the Playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka. However, he can take the field as a concussion substitute, if required,” the BCCI said in a post on X.

India had earlier won the opening game of the series in Galle last week. It was their first victory in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle since their home series sweep against the West Indies last October.

The 33-year-old followed in the footsteps of his father, Subodh Jain, a former first-class cricketer. An all-rounder from Madhya Pradesh, Saransh bowls off-spin and bats left-handed.

He has played 54 first-class matches, scoring 2,223 runs at an average of 31.85, while also claiming 188 wickets at 27.30.

Saransh has been a late bloomer. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2014 but played only eight matches until 2022, when he finally came into the spotlight. During Madhya Pradesh’s title-winning 2021/22 campaign, he picked up 13 wickets and scored a half-century.

His latest Ranji Trophy season, however, has been his best by some distance and played a major role in earning him a place in India’s Test squad. He scored 518 runs at 57.55 and claimed 20 wickets at 20.44.

He also enjoyed a successful Duleep Trophy campaign, scoring two fifties and picking up 16 wickets in two matches to be named Player of the Series.

India had previously used him as one of the net bowlers during their camp ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June in New Chandigarh. Washington Sundar’s unavailability then opened the door for Saransh’s selection to the senior squad.

Now, after more than a decade of waiting since his Ranji debut, he is finally set to wear an India cap at the age of 33.

Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports.