With Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar offering left-arm spin and Kuldeep Yadav providing left-arm wrist spin, the selectors opted for variety by bringing in a specialist right-arm off-spinner
Updated: July 28, 2026, 10:47 AM IST
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India’s Ravindra Jadeja walks off the field after his dismissal during the first ODI cricket match of a series between India and New Zealand, at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, Gujarat, Sunday, January 11, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
India named a 15-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with veteran Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Saransh Jain receiving his maiden Test call-up after years of consistent performances in domestic cricket.
The 33-year-old has finally been rewarded for his strong showings on the domestic circuit and is expected to fill the gap left by Washington Sundar, who is likely to miss the opening Test as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
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The series will begin in Galle from August 15 to 19 before moving to Colombo for the second Test from August 23 to 27. Ahead of the series, India will play a four-day practice match starting August 7.
Saransh’s selection comes after an impressive India A tour of Sri Lanka, where he picked up six wickets in two matches and also scored an unbeaten 70 with the bat.
A key member of Madhya Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy-winning team under Chandrakant Pandit, the off-spinner has built a reputation as one of the most dependable performers in domestic cricket.
With Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar offering left-arm spin and Kuldeep Yadav providing left-arm wrist spin, the selectors opted for variety by bringing in a specialist right-arm off-spinner. Saransh was considered the best available option in Washington’s absence.
Mumbai all-rounder Tanush Kotian, who replaced the retired Ravichandran Ashwin during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, missed out after failing to produce consistent wicket-taking performances in recent outings.
The rest of the squad was largely on expected lines. Punjab pacer Gurnoor Brar retained his place after an outstanding performance against Sri Lanka A, where he claimed a 10-wicket match haul.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan have been included in the squad, but both remain subject to fitness clearance. The duo will undergo assessments at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence before the team leaves for Sri Lanka.
Although the selectors have not named standby players, Vidarbha fast bowler Yash Thakur and Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi remain in contention if Bumrah is unable to recover in time.
The series will also be important in the context of the 2027 World Test Championship final. India has made a positive start after defeating Afghanistan in the one-off Test earlier this year but they are currently 5th in the WTC standings below the likes of Australia (1), South Africa (2), New Zealand (3) and Bangladesh (4).
India’s squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka
Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal and Saransh Jain.
