Saransh Jain - The all-rounder IPL scouts must take note of

Saransh Jain, a name not known to many, is quietly grinding it out in the Indian domestic circuit and making all-round contributions. He is currently preparing to play both Test cricket and earning a contract with an IPL franchise. And has he done enough to be able to catch the attention? Well, let’s see what the numbers speak.

The 2025-26 domestic season started with the Duleep Trophy. Saransh played for Central Zone and in just two matches, ended up picking 16 wickets and garnering two crucial half-centuries, one in the semi-final against a strong West Zone unit and the other in the final against South Zone. He was ultimately named the Player of the Series for his brilliance on the field.

Now came the Irani Cup 2025-26, where the young all-rounder was in the Rest of India unit against Vidarbha. While the defending Ranji champions reigned supreme, Saransh had still picked four wickets and 39 runs where the Rajat Patidar-led side couldn’t really pose any challenge to the opposition.

Leaving the demons of the Irani loss behind, Saransh, the Indore-born, was a no-brainer pick for Madhya Pradesh as the lead spinner and the preferred all-rounder, not just a bowler-who-can-bat any more. And he started brilliantly, getting an amazing six-wicket haul against Punjab, where MP got their campaign up and running with three points.

In the Round 2 encounter against Saurashtra, it was time for his bat to do the talking, as he brought up his maiden First Class hundred on a tricky surface in Rajkot, while also picking a crucial wicket of the experienced Prerak Mankad. Next up, the challenge was to take down the Snehal Kauthankar-led Goa in Porvorim for his next outing.

Contribution with the bat? Done. Contributing with the ball? Done. So what was next? Saransh Jain said, I’ll do both in this game. He first made a 48 in the first innings while also shining with a four-for, and then the second innings was just the cherry on top as he hit an 82 not-out to lead MP to a thrilling run-chase after picking a couple of wickets on Day 3. This was also his first Player of the Match award of the season, and also the first win of the season for his side.

This would easily be enough for any IPL side to take a note of his talent. Saransh himself is a big fan of both RCB and CSK. He shares a special connection with RCB captain Patidar, having grown up playing for the same club in Indore since childhood. And it would be great if the two — who have been sharing the MP dressing room for many years now, also see each other in the same RCB outfit.

"I will certainly like to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, because it has been one of my favourite teams since the start. However, I also like Chennai Super Kings a lot, so wherever I get an opportunity to play, I would love playing in the IPL. In IPL, I like Ashwin and MS Dhoni a lot. They both have been my all-time favourites. As a spinner, I like Ashwin and as a player, I have a dream of playing once under Mahi bhai’s captaincy. Hopefully, I can share the dressing room with them some time soon," Saransh told CricTracker.

In the most-recent fifth round clash against 2024-25 runners-up Kerala, Saransh once again showed put his all-round skills on display. In the first innings, he scored a crucial 67 to save MP from a possible collapse, and picked three wickets with the ball. As the pitch deteriorated, he still managed to chip in with 31, which may look a small contribution, but avoided the loss for his side and the match was eventually drawn.

His immediate focus will now be switching to white-ball cricket for MP, as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 is on the beckoning. He averages an unbelievable 19.11 in his T20 career, although he never really got the opportunity to show how good he is with the bat.

However, one good season is all it will take for him to really bang heavily on the IPL scouts doors to take a note of his skills, and eventually be a promising addition to the squad at the IPL 2026 auction table, an event that is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16. He has already shared the space with the three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders as a net bowler, who could also be one of the potential buyers for Saransh, as they have the highest purse to go with at the cash-rich event.