Saransh, who came into the playing XI in place of left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, was presented with Test cap number 320 in the team huddle ahead of the toss. Handed a Test debut in the second game against Sri Lanka after years of relentless toil in domestic cricket, off-spin bowling all-rounder Saransh Jain expressed deep gratitude to God and his family after receiving his cap from veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. “Whenever a player starts playing cricket, his dream is to play for India and I have achieved it today. So, I am very grateful and thankful to God and my family, who supported me, and I have achieved this,” Saransh said in a video posted on the BCCI’s social media channels on Sunday.
He is also the oldest India player to make his Test debut after turning 33 since Robin Singh in 1998. For the rest of the support, 14 more players are with you. “So, I think this will be a very important opportunity for you in life because, as a cricketer, everyone has a dream to represent India and become a Test player. I think you should enjoy this moment, and don’t take pressure at all because, just like you have done in so many matches in domestic cricket, play like you are playing a first-class match.
Apart from being the 320th men’s Test player for India, Saransh has also become the fifth player from Indore to represent the country in the red-ball format after Narendra Hirwani, Rajesh Chauhan, Naman Ojha, and Rajat Patidar. Interestingly, Saransh is the third player after Murali Vijay and Mohammed Shami to make his Test debut before getting an IPL contract. So, enjoy this moment instead of taking pressure, okay? All the best,” he added.
