A Dream Realized at 33

When Saransh Jain walked into Indore's Shri Ranjeet Hanuman Temple on Tuesday, he had no idea that he was on the cusp of the biggest moment of his cricketing career. After returning from the temple, his phone was inundated with messages and missed calls. He realized that he had been selected in the Indian Test squad for next month's Sri Lankan tour.

"After returning from the temple, my phone was inundated with messages and missed calls. I realised that I was selected in the Indian Test squad for next month's Sri Lankan tour," Saransh told TOI.

IPL Not the Only Yardstick

Having spent the last decade grinding his way through the rigours of domestic cricket, far away from the glamour of franchise cricket, the call-up almost seemed like divine intervention for the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder. At 33, he is the oldest to earn a maiden India Test call-up in this century.

"My selection shows that the IPL alone is not the yardstick for making the cut. It is proof of the hard work I have put in domestic cricket. I would like to thank the selectors for showing faith in me," he said.

Opportunity Knocks After Injury

The hamstring injury to Washington Sundar gave him the opening, but he insisted that he had done enough to remain in contention. "The just-concluded India 'A' tour of Sri Lanka, where I picked up six wickets and scored an unbeaten 70, instilled confidence. Two years back, the six-for against Mumbai at the Irani Trophy was another important milestone," he noted.

Stellar Domestic Performances

Saransh continued his stellar form in the previous Ranji Trophy season, scoring 518 runs and nabbing 30 wickets averaging a shade over 20. As an offspinner, Saransh prides himself on his craft more than mystery.

"I rely on my stock ball (off-spin), topspinner and the straighter one. I am yet to develop the doosra, although I can bowl legspin with the white ball," he explained.

Under Chandrakant Pandit, he added another dimension, bowling from round the wicket to right-handers, bringing LBW and both edges into play.

Learning from the Best

While Ravichandran Ashwin's versatility and videos remained a source of learning, it was an interaction with Harbhajan Singh at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence that left a lasting impression.

"I met Bhajji about three months ago. He gave me some tips like how to use the crease better and bowl with a higher arm action because I tend to go slightly around-arm. Bowling with a more perpendicular action, he said, would help me get the desired drop," Saransh noted.

Father as the Biggest Inspiration

Amid the euphoria, Saransh admits that his father remains his biggest inspiration. "My father (Subodh Jain) is my hero. He was the reason why I became a cricketer," he said.

Subodh, also an off-spinner who played for Madhya Pradesh in the 1980s, would often tell his son, "Bowl like the best off-spinner and bat like a proper No.4."

Saransh's journey illustrates that the path to Team India can also be laid through the grind of the Ranji Trophy, proving that perseverance and consistent domestic performances can finally open the doors to international cricket.