Mumbai: Having spent almost a quarter of a century in coaching since retiring from the game, former India and Mumbai wicketkeeper Chandrakant Pandit have a fair idea of what makes one player stand out from the rest.The 33-year-old Indore off-spinner is well followed and supported Saransh Jain Since taking charge as Madhya Pradesh’s head coach in 2020, Pandit was not surprised that the all-rounder emerged as a surprise pick and the only new face in India’s 15-member Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour, announced on Tuesday.Jain got his first Test call after years of consistent performances in domestic cricket.The off-spinner has quietly built one of the strongest red-ball records among Indian all-rounders, delivering every season with bat and ball without breaking through to the senior side.“During our victory Ranji Trophy 2022 campaign (this is a restricted period due to Covid), I have to fight for the inclusion of Saransh in the side. To push his case, I had to drop a senior spinner after our first match. But I am convinced that Saransh has the talent and skill to play for India one day. Today, I am happy that our ‘ultimate goal’ has finally been achieved. All the sacrifices have paid off,” a naturally elated Pandit told TOI from Indore on Tuesday.Jain took 30 wickets in seven matches for MP at 20.43, including a five-wicket haul, in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy. A few weeks ago, he impressed on India A’s tour of Sri Lanka, claiming six wickets in two matches while scoring an unbeaten 70.Born in Indore, Jain made his first-class debut for Madhya Pradesh during the 2014-15 season and has since become one of the team’s most reliable performers. In 54 first-class matches, the right-arm off-spinner scored 2,223 runs at an average of 31.75 while claiming 188 wickets at 27.30, establishing himself as a true all-rounder.Pandit reveals that a key technical change he proposed four years ago transformed Jain into a powerful force.“During the 2022 Ranji Trophy, after our first match, I convinced him to bowl round the wicket. At first, he was a bit hesitant. ‘I can’t take LBW decisions like that, Sir,’ he told me. ‘I agree, but if you play a particular line, your options open up. You take the bowled, caught behind and I get caught in the slips,’“I showed him a lot of videos explaining how it helps him to make a better line. We made him bowl to the middle and the off stump. He was convinced when he started getting the batters bowled, losing their off stump and consuming the slips.“Nowadays, most Indian off-spinners are bowling around the wicket after seeing Saransh, who is now doing it from the first ball, succeed in that way. I also guided him in setting the right fields, which is important for an off-spinner to take wickets. He has a very good understanding of field placements,” the veteran coach explained.Outlining Jain’s strengths, Pandit said, “If he gets a turning track, he will do very well. But, the line he bowls, the variations he has and the outgoing ball he bowls are very good. Of course, we still have to see how he performs on the batting-friendly tracks of international cricket.“Bowling off-spin runs in Saransh’s blood. His father, Subodh Jain, was also an off-spinner for Madhya Pradesh. Subodh coached him since childhood. A few years ago, Subodh retired from his job at the State Bank of India. He was suffering from throat cancer. Saransh was also a good batsman. He was 4 in the local batter at No. He gave his 100% with bat and ball,” said Rajiv Risdodkar, a former BCCI panel umpire and current member of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association management committee.Pandit felt Jain deserved an India call-up earlier.“Frankly, he should have got this opportunity a few years ago. It was delayed a bit. However, he continued to perform at the same level even though he was not picked earlier. He did well for India A and also had a strong domestic season last year,” Pandit said.Critics point out that the selection of a 33-year-old Jain in the Test squad sends the wrong signal, but Pandit disagrees.“Age should not be a selection criterion. Only fitness and performance matter. Wasim Jaffer played Ranji Trophy cricket for Vidarbha even after 40 years and performed very well. There are people who doubted his selection because of his age, but I will point to his runs. Saransh is fit and a very good fielder.“In the last few years, Saransh has also improved his batting. He has scored useful runs for MP. I told him that to get into the Indian team, he also needs to score some runs.In 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders called Jain for trials when Pandit was the head coach of the franchise. What happened next convinced him that the spinner was different from the rest.“Saransh came for the trials and was with us for almost a month. The idea was to bring him as a net bowler for the IPL. But, after the trials, Saransh told me that he is not interested in being a net bowler for any IPL team.“‘If an IPL team picks me directly, then that’s fine, but I don’t want to be a net bowler. I turned down 2-3 other teams too,’ he said.“I was shocked because net bowlers get paid decently (Rs 10,000 a day) in the IPL, given five-star accommodation and top-class food like the main squad players, and always have a chance to impress the franchises. I know many domestic bowlers who will do anything to become a net bowler in IPL.“However, Saransh knows his worth and is not desperate to play in the IPL. He is focused on becoming a good red-ball spinner. That impresses me,” recalled Pandit.“He is a sincere, hardworking boy who stays in constant communication with me. He wants to learn every day and implement whatever you tell him,” the MP head coach said.