Saransh Jain earns maiden Test call-up in India's 15-man squad for Sri Lanka series
Synopsis
Saransh Jain's maiden Test call-up is the headline from India's 15-man squad for the Sri Lanka series — but the bigger picture is a side rebuilding red-ball momentum after a 2-0 home defeat to South Africa, with Bumrah's fitness the key variable and WTC standings on the line.
Key Takeaways
Saransh Jain earns his maiden Test call-up after scoring an unbeaten 70 and taking six wickets for India A in Sri Lanka.
Ravindra Jadeja returns to red-ball cricket for the first time since November 2025 , having recovered from a tennis elbow injury sustained during IPL 2026 .
Jasprit Bumrah is in the squad but his availability depends on a fitness clearance following an injury in the England ODI series .
Washington Sundar is unavailable for the first Test due to a right hamstring strain.
The first Test is at Galle International Cricket Stadium from 15–19 August ; the second at SSC, Colombo from 23–27 August .
India are fifth and Sri Lanka sixth in the WTC standings ahead of the series.
Offspin all-rounder Saransh Jain has earned a maiden Test call-up, while veteran Ravindra Jadeja returned to red-ball cricket for the first time since November 2025, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 28 July named a 15-man squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning 15 August. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is also in the squad, though his participation is subject to fitness clearance.
Saransh Jain's Road to the Test Squad
Saransh Jain's inclusion comes on the back of a standout performance on India A's tour to Sri Lanka, where he scored an unbeaten 70 and claimed six wickets in the second unofficial Test. Across 54 first-class matches, the offspin all-rounder has accumulated 2,223 runs at an average of 31.75 and taken 188 wickets at 27.30 — numbers that make a compelling case for his promotion. His call-up was also facilitated by Washington Sundar's unavailability for the first Test, as the latter continues to recover from a right hamstring strain that ruled him out of the Lord's ODI.
Jadeja and Bumrah Return to Red-Ball Setup
Ravindra Jadeja had been sidelined since the IPL 2026 season after suffering a tennis elbow injury, making his return to the Test squad a significant development for India's spin department. Jasprit Bumrah, meanwhile, last featured in a Test during the home series against South Africa in November 2025. He picked up an injury during the recent three-match ODI series in England, and the BCCI has confirmed his availability for the Sri Lanka series will hinge on a fitness clearance.
Series Schedule and WTC Context
The Shubman Gill-led side will first play a four-day warm-up match in Colombo starting 7 August, before the first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium from 15 to 19 August. The second Test moves to the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, scheduled from 23 to 27 August. This series marks India's first ICC World Test Championship (WTC) assignment since the 2-0 home defeat to South Africa in November — a result that has left them fifth in the WTC standings, with Sri Lanka sitting sixth.
Full Squad
India's squad: Shubman Gill (C), KL Rahul (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain. (*Availability subject to fitness clearance.)
With both sides needing WTC points, the two-Test series carries considerable weight beyond bilateral prestige — and India will be eager to arrest a run of poor red-ball form.
Point of View
But his call-up is also a product of circumstance — Sundar's injury and a thin bench of proven spin all-rounders. The more consequential subplot is Bumrah's fitness: without him, India's pace attack in subcontinental conditions loses its primary wicket-taking threat. Gill's first assignment as Test captain in a WTC context, away from home, against a side ranked just below them, is a genuine test of both leadership and selection philosophy — and the 2-0 South Africa loss casts a long shadow.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Saransh Jain and why has he been picked for India's Test squad?
Saransh Jain is an offspin all-rounder who earned his maiden Test call-up following strong performances for India A in Sri Lanka, where he scored an unbeaten 70 and took six wickets in the second unofficial Test. Across 54 first-class matches he has 2,223 runs at 31.75 and 188 wickets at 27.30, and his selection was also aided by Washington Sundar's unavailability due to injury.
When and where will India play the two Tests against Sri Lanka?
The first Test is at the Galle International Cricket Stadium from 15 to 19 August, and the second Test is at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from 23 to 27 August. A four-day warm-up match in Colombo precedes the series, starting 7 August.
Is Jasprit Bumrah fit to play the Sri Lanka Tests?
Bumrah is named in the 15-man squad but his participation is subject to a fitness clearance after he sustained an injury during the three-match ODI series in England. The BCCI has not confirmed his availability for either Test.
Why has Ravindra Jadeja returned to the Test squad?
Jadeja returns to red-ball cricket for the first time since November 2025 after recovering from a tennis elbow injury that kept him out of action since the IPL 2026 season. His return bolsters India's spin all-rounder options ahead of a subcontinental series.
What are India's ICC World Test Championship standings ahead of the Sri Lanka series?
India are fifth in the WTC standings, while Sri Lanka are sixth. The two-Test series is India's first WTC assignment since their 2-0 home defeat to South Africa in November 2025, making the matches significant for both sides' qualification prospects.
