New Delhi: In 2014, a 21-year-old Saransh Jain was touring Australia with an Indore club side, chasing his cricket dream in white-ball matches.
Every time he called home and asked for his father, his mother or elder brother would tell him that Subodh Jain — also his first and only coach — was “busy” and couldn’t speak.
When Saransh returned, the truth hit him with devastating force. His father had been diagnosed with oral cancer.
“My mouth was badly swollen after surgery and I couldn’t speak. The moment Saransh saw me, he broke down,” recalled Subodh, now 61.
“I picked up a pen and wrote on a piece of paper: ‘Beta, tu jitna accha karega, main utni jaldi theek ho jaaunga’ (Son, the better you perform, the quicker I will recover).”
On Tuesday, as Saransh earned his maiden India Test call-up at the age of 33, that handwritten note seemed to have come full circle.
It was a Tuesday, and like every week when he is in Indore, Saransh was offering prayers at a Hanuman temple when the selectors announced the squad.
“He was inside the temple and missed the first call. When he came out, he learnt about his selection,” Subodh said.
“I am overwhelmed. I played Ranji Trophy for Madhya Pradesh but, like many others, I couldn’t fulfil my dream. Today, my son has fulfilled it.”
A former Madhya Pradesh off-spinner himself, Subodh admitted there is still some regret over what might have been of his career.
“In my time, Uttar Pradesh‘s Gopal Sharma was the premier off-spinner from Central Zone. He was preferred and went on to play Tests for India,” Subodh recalled.
He passed on the craft to Saransh, who will now live the dream.
“He now watches Ravichandran Ashwin’s videos and keeps learning, but when he started, I was his idol,” Subodh said.
“I have coached many Ranji Trophy players, including my son. They all had one quality — they spoke less and worked more.”
The former off-spinner, who claimed 23 wickets in nine Ranji Trophy matches, knew early that his son was different.
“I realised it when he was playing Under-12 cricket. Saransh and Rajat Patidar have played together since they were 11. People who watched him then told me he had something special. Of course, I am his coach, but I am also his father.”
The journey, however, has been anything but smooth.
Saransh claimed a five-wicket haul on his Ranji Trophy debut against Tamil Nadu but soon found himself out of the side.
“It was Chandrakant Pandit who saw something special in him. Everyone knows Chandu Pandit ji has an exceptional eye for talent,” Subodh said.
Now retired from his bank job, Subodh still makes it to the Holkar Stadium whenever Madhya Pradesh play at home, although his health limits how long he can stay.
“I usually go after lunch. My health doesn’t permit me to sit through an entire day’s play.”
Saransh, who is employed with India Post, has built his career by making every opportunity count.
He played a pivotal role in Madhya Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy triumph with both bat and ball before claiming 16 wickets in two Duleep Trophy games.
He then picked up four wickets and scored a fighting 39 for Rest of India against Vidarbha in the Irani Cup.
Despite being well into his 30s, the scarcity of quality off-spin all-rounders earned him a place in the BCCI’s targeted players’ programme, and an impressive India A tour of Sri Lanka eventually opened the doors to the senior team.
For Subodh, though, the advice remains as simple as it was years ago when he scribbled hope on a piece of paper.
“My only advice is, ‘Beta, bindaas khelna agar chance mile. Koi pressure mat lena’ (Son, play fearlessly if you get your chance. Don’t take any pressure).”
Follow on Twitter | Edited by Neha Khan | 
