'Little variety to trouble batters' - Sunil Gavaskar's blunt take on Saransh Jain after his debut

Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain made his international debut in the second Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo from August 23 to 27, 2026. The right-arm off-break bowler was called into the squad to replace left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was recovering from a viral infection.

India had already secured a thumping win in the opening match of the two-match series with a commanding 165-run victory in the opening Test at Galle, setting up the final match as an opportunity to clinch the series and register a memorable whitewash. In the process, Saransh was given a chance in the XI ahead of experienced Kuldeep Yadav.

In the second Test match, Sri Lanka reached 429 for 9 in their second innings after India enforced the follow-on, having established a 213-run first-innings lead. The match ended in a draw thanks to a sensational knock by Sonal Dinusha.

Making his debut, Jain took 3 wickets while conceding 167 runs in the Colombo Test. The pitch assisted spinners to a great extent throughout the match, creating conditions that favoured bowling on the turning surface.

Gavaskar's critique of Jain's bowling approach

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar felt that the debutant off-spinner struggled to make a significant impact. While acknowledging that the youngster could have been affected by the pressure of playing his first international game, Gavaskar pointed out that Jain lacked the variations required to consistently trouble the opposition batters.

"The debutant off-spinner looked an honest trier with little variety to trouble batters at this level. Sure, he could have been nervous considering that he was making his debut, yet there was no deception through the air and an over-reliance on the pitch for assistance," Gavaskar told Mid-day.

"If they couldn't dismiss the lower-order batters on a pitch where there was some turn, it does make Indian cricket fans a bit nervous. There was a sameness to the bowling. On a pitch that got slower as the match progressed, the fast bowlers struggled to get the ball up towards the batters' shoulders. Here, perhaps the extra pace and height of Gurnoor Brar may well have come in handy," Gavaskar added.

Impact of Kuldeep Yadav's absence

Gavaskar also felt that Kuldeep Yadav's absence was a major factor in India's inability to wrap up the lower order. The veteran cricketer highlighted the unique threat posed by a quality wrist-spinner, particularly against tailenders on a surface offering some assistance.

"Kuldeep Yadav's absence also did not help, as a good wrist-spinner can get the lower-order batters out in a jiffy most of the time," Gavaskar concluded.