3 Domestic players who can replace R Ashwin in India’s Test squad

Ravichandran Ashwin retired from international cricket after the third Test in the Border-Gavaskar series in 2024-2025. Since his retirement, India has not found a player who can fill the void left.

Washington Sundar has been used as the off-spinner, but he has not been able to cement his place in the side. During India’s last Test assignment, at home against South Africa, Sundar was outbowled by fellow off-spinner Simon Harmer. While Harmer bagged 17 wickets in two games, the Indian all-rounder could manage only one. The 26-year-old bowled 49 overs across the two Tests but failed to make an impact.

India’s upcoming red-ball challenge is the one-off Test against Afghanistan, set to be played from June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. Many new faces are expected to be part of the side. This match could be a great opportunity for the selectors and team management to try out someone who can make a mark as an off-spinner.

3 Domestic players who can replace R Ashwin in India’s Test squad

3. Saransh Jain

Saransh Jain, 33, has been bowling brilliantly for Madhya Pradesh in red-ball cricket for the last few years. He has also made vital contributions with the bat. In the 2025-26 edition of the Ranji Trophy, the off-spinner bagged 30 wickets in seven matches at an average of 20.43. He had registered his best figures of 6/75 against Punjab in Indore.

While he is primarily a bowler, he showed tremendous improvement in the batting department in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, amassing 518 runs in 12 innings at an average of 57.55, with one century and three fifties under his belt.

2. Pulkit Narang

The 31-year-old Pulkit Narang has been playing first-class cricket since 2015. In five matches for the Services in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, Narang bagged 24 wickets at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 41.08. He bagged three five-fors, and his best figures of 5/66 came against Haryana in Rohtak.

Narang is also no mug with the bat. He scored just one half-century in the last edition of the Ranji Trophy. However, he opened the batting in one of the matches, showing the confidence the team management has in his ability with the willow. His first-class average with the bat is 17.40 in 45 matches, and he has registered three fifties.

1. Nikhil Kashyap

Nikhil Kashyap is the youngest and least experienced among the three players mentioned in this article. The 25-year-old made his first-class debut in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy. He picked up 26 wickets in six matches in India’s premier domestic competition, averaging 15.69. Kashyap’s best figures of 5/53 came against Railways in Surat on his debut.

There is some potential in Kashyap’s batting, but it is not on the same level as Jain or even Narang, for that matter. He mostly batted at No. 11 during the season. However, he is much younger than the other two spin-bowling all-rounders in this piece and can improve his batting if he is eager enough.