Saransh Jain debuts as India opt to bat in second Test against Sri Lanka
Colombo: India won the toss and elected to bat in the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Sunday, with off-spinning all-rounder Saransh Jain earning his maiden Test cap. India lead the two-match series 1-0 after a 165-run victory in Galle and are aiming for a clean sweep.
Jain, 33, came into the side in place of left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was ruled out after failing to fully recover from a viral illness. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Yadav remains with the squad and is available as a concussion substitute if required.
"Mr 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 statement.
India captain Shubman Gill confirmed the change at the toss, saying, "Kuldeep, unfortunately, had some infections, so he misses out, and Saransh makes his debut for India."
A long road to the cap
Jain's selection is the culmination of a 12-year domestic career. He made his first-class debut in the 2014-15 season and has since played 54 matches, scoring 2,223 runs at an average of 31.75 and taking 188 wickets at 27.30. He was a key member of Madhya Pradesh's maiden Ranji Trophy triumph in 2022, taking 13 wickets and scoring a half-century in the knockout stages.
His recent form made him impossible to ignore: he scored 518 runs and took 30 wickets in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, and was named Player of the Series in the Duleep Trophy after picking up 16 wickets in two matches. He also impressed for India A in Sri Lanka, with six wickets and an unbeaten 70.
Jain's debut carries historical weight. At 33 years and 145 days, he is India's oldest Test debutant in this century, overtaking former wicketkeeper Saba Karim, who made his debut aged 32 years and 362 days. He is also the first off-spinner to debut for India since Washington Sundar in January 2021, and the 320th men's Test player overall. Notably, he has never played in the IPL, joining a small list of players—including Murali Vijay and Mohammed Shami—who reached international cricket without an IPL contract.
His coach at Madhya Pradesh, Chandrakant Pandit, recalled that Jain once turned down an IPL net-bowler stint to focus on his red-ball game. "He was very clear about it. It's not that he is not averse or keen to bowl with a white ball but he wanted to work on his red-ball bowling," Pandit told PTI.
Gill backs bat-first call
Gill, leading the side in this series, said the pitch in Colombo offered better batting conditions than Galle. "It looks like a much harder, much better surface compared to Galle. Galle was also a very good wicket, but I think as the game went on, it got a little bit slower and the ball started to turn. We're expecting the same, but I think for the first two or three days, I think it'll be a really good wicket to bat on," he said at the toss.
He rated India's Galle performance "probably a nine", acknowledging there was room for improvement but praising the team's consistency. "There were some areas where we could have got a little bit better, but, you know, this is Test cricket. It's very, very difficult to be able to have a near-perfect game," he added.
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva, facing a must-win situation, will be hoping for a response from his side after a heavy defeat in the opener. The hosts have also been forced into changes, with Kusal Mendis ruled out due to a hamstring injury and Dinesh Chandimal unavailable under concussion substitution rules; Pathum Nissanka is also doubtful after wrist surgery. Coach Gary Kirsten confirmed the setbacks, saying they present an opportunity for younger players to step up.
Sri Lanka handed debuts to batters Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara, the latter having come in as a concussion substitute in Galle. Niroshan Dickwella, who scored 80 in the first Test, is expected to continue in the middle order.
Teams
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando.