Indian selectors are often in the eye of the storm for their decisions. One selection that has been winning Ajit Agarkar and Co. plaudits is to pick 33-year-old Saransh Jain for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The veteran player has years of experience with the bat and ball and has been a consistent performer for his state side.
Ex-India batter Wasim Jaffer was happy with the selection call and spoke about it on his YouTube channel. Jain was picked after Washington Sundar was ruled out after injuring himself while batting during the second ODI against England in Cardiff. The 26-year-old Gujarat Titans star had scored a fifty and also picked a few wickets in the one-off Test against Afghanistan.
Jaffer said, “The Sri Lankan side has a few left-handed batters in their team, and Sundar is injured. Saransh is a much better bowler and has real quality. I am happy that the selectors looked beyond his age and picked him based on merit.” The veteran player has not only done well in domestic cricket but also managed to impress everyone for India A against Sri Lanka A.
The former Indian opening batter also added, “The selection doesn’t surprise me because he has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket, especially in the red-ball format. Jain is a hardworking cricketer who comes in and does his job in the longer formats. He is old school and doesn’t have too many variations but keeps hitting the same spot consistently. Just like Ashwin and Harbhajan, he has good seam position.”
The off-spin bowler has picked up over 100 first-class wickets and did well during the Duleep Trophy final last year, claiming a fifer against South Zone. The player is also a capable batter with over 2000 first-class runs, with one century, and can handle the willow well when called upon.
Wasim Jaffer happy to see domestic cricket numbers rewarded
Former Mumbai skipper also said, “Saransh had a good season last year with the bat and ball. It is good to see the players who do well in domestic cricket are getting rewarded. Happy for him since he is a very good cricketer and has earned this chance on the back of his performances.”
The player himself is not reading much into the age factor and termed it just a number. He also said that even if the selection call hadn’t come now, he was sure to be part of the national side in the next 12-24 months.