After waiting for quite some time, the BCCI's selection committee has finally announced India's squad for the two Tests against Sri Lanka in August. After a long white-ball tour of the UK, the Indian team will be in action for an important World Test Championship (WTC) series in Sri Lanka, beginning August 15. 

While the BCCI has kept a strong first-choice team, one rather unfamiliar name has been added. That is of Saransh Jain, who has received his maiden Test call-up in the senior team. It is surely a moment to cherish for the 33-year-old, who has been making rounds in the domestic circuit. 

Who is Saransh Jain, newly selected India player?

Not often do teams select specialist off-spinners, but the Indian team were forced to because of Washington Sundar's injury. Sundar endured a hamstring injury in the recent ODIs against England and was set to miss this Test series, especially the first Test. The Indian team has rested Sundar, bringing in a like-for-like replacement in Saransh. 

The 33-year-old is predominantly an off-spinner but has an ability to hold his fort as a batter too. In fact, after 85 first-class innings, he has a total of 2223 runs at almost 32, including 14 fifties and two hundreds. Meanwhile, he has 188 first-class wickets to his name, including ten five-wicket hauls. 

Saransh impressed the most in his recent Ranji Trophy 2025/26 campaign. He was the major part in Madhya Pradesh's run to the quarterfinals. In that season, he played as a proper all-rounder, taking wickets at timely intervals and also scoring a bucket load of runs. In total, he made 518 runs at an average of nearly 52. While, with the ball, he had 30 wickets in 13 innings. 

Meanwhile, he toured Sri Lanka with India A earlier this month under the captaincy of Dhruv Jurel. The first game went by without much to show. But in the second match he made it count. He scored a fighting 70 not out with the bat and six wickets with the ball in that Test. 

With Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Manav Suthar already in the team, it might be a little hard for Saransh to find a place in the starting XI in the Tests against Sri Lanka. However, you can't rule out the possibility, as Gautam Gambhir might look to bring in Saransh since there are many lefties in the Sri Lankan batting lineup. 

India's squad for 2 Tests vs Sri Lanka