Colombo: Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was ruled out of India’s playing eleven for the second Test against Sri Lanka as he continues to recover from a viral illness, the BCCI said. In his absence, Madhya Pradesh off-spin bowling all-rounder Saransh Jain was handed his maiden Test cap.

“Mr Kuldeep Yadav has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection in the Playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka. However, he can take the field as a concussion substitute, if required,” the BCCI stated in an official statement on Sunday.

Saransh received his Test cap in the team huddle before the toss, after which India elected to bat first at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground. A hamstring injury to off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar during India’s ODI tour of England had opened the door for Jain’s inclusion in the squad for the Sri Lanka trip.

Saransh, 33, has a strong domestic record, with 54 first-class matches in which he has scored 2,223 runs at an average of 31.75 and taken 188 wickets at an average of 27.30. He also performed well on the India ‘A’ tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year, making an unbeaten 70 and taking a six-wicket haul.

With his debut, Saransh becomes the first off-spinner to make his Test debut for India since Washington Sundar in January 2021. He is the 320th men’s Test player for India and the fifth from Indore to play red-ball cricket for the country, after Narendra Hirwani, Rajesh Chauhan, Naman Ojha and Rajat Patidar. Jain is also the oldest India player to debut in Tests after turning 33 since Robin Singh in 1998.