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30-year-old Saurabh Kumar from Uttar Pradesh has got a national call-up in the Test squad vs England after Ravindra Jadeja got ruled out unfortunately due to injury. Saurabh Kumar is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler who also bats a bit in the lower order as a left-handed batsman for UP, Services in the Ranji Trophy.
In the recently completed match between India A and England Lions, he was seen picking a five-wicket haul (5/104) at the right time which has helped him to get a national call-up once again. Earlier he was in the squad during the India tour of Bangladesh in 2022 also but didn't get a chance to play for India and once again he has been included in the squad for the 2nd Test match against England now.
Saurabh Kumar has taken 290 wickets in FC cricket from 68 matches (117 inns) and also he has taken 49 wickets in List A cricket and 24 wickets in T20 cricket. Saurabh Kumar has 22 five-wicket hauls in his FC career which includes an iconic performance against Saurashtra in the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy where he ended with bowling figures of 4/85, and 6/55 and scored 39 runs with the bat as well. He recorded his best bowling figures of 8/64 for Central Zone in the 2023 Duleep Trophy Quarter-final match against East Zone.
Saurabh Kumar was the leading wicket-taker for UP in the Ranji Trophy 2018/19 season as he took 51 wickets from 10 matches (19 inns) which included five five-wicket hauls. In this Ranji 2018/19 season he recorded his best bowling figure in a Test match by taking 14 wickets (7/33 & 7/32) in a game against Haryana in December 2018. Saurabh Kumar was also the leading wicket-taker for UP in the Ranji Trophy 2019/20 season as well by taking 44 wickets from 8 matches (14 innings).
In the recently concluded Ranji Trophy matches against Bihar in January 2024 he ended with bowling figures of 4/46, hence through his consistent performances with the ball by picking four-wicket hauls and five-wicket hauls he has got much-needed attention from team management and sneaked into the squad for this Test match.
