The 28-year-old left-arm Indian pacer Jaydev Unadkat has improved in recent years which were the result of his domination during the last Ranji Trophy season. One-Test-experienced Unadkat now wants to return to the Test cricket.
Jaydev Unadkat just missed out to create a new history in the Ranji Trophy cricket in the last season. The left-arm pacer bagged 67 wickets in the Ranji Trophy 2019/20, which were the second-most wickets for a bowler in a Ranji Trophy season. The record is 68 wickets by Bihar left-arm spinner Ashutosh Aman in 2018/19 season. However, Unadkat successfully led his team Saurashtra to win the Ranji Trophy 2019/20, which was also their first-ever Ranji Trophy win.
During the 2010 South Africa tour, Unadkat made his Test debut in the Centurion Test where he finished with the wicketless bowling figures. The left-arm pacer now wants to return to India’s Test side. However, he also knows that the competition in the Indian team is very strong.
In a video interview with his Rajasthan Royals teammate and New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi, Unadkat said, “I have been thoroughly enjoying bowling with the red ball. I have not got a chance after my first Test so that has always been at the back of my mind — I want to make a place in the Test team. Though the competition is strong, it’s the strongest ever I can say that.”
The shorter formats have been my strength of late: Jaydev Unadkat
Unadkat has also played for India in seven ODIs and 10 T20Is where the left-arm pacer has taken eight and 14 wickets respectively. While he last played an ODI for India in November 2013, his last T20I match was during the final of Nidahas Trophy 2018 (18th March). Unadkat is ready to represent the Indian team again in any format.
He added, “The shorter formats have been my strength of late so, no specific format (in international cricket). (I would like to) maybe become as versatile as I can and make a place in all formats.”
Unadkat has now the goal to return to the Indian team and make an impact for a long time by consistently evolving as a player.
He said, “The goal now is to get my place (in the Indian team) back, to be there for a long time and make as strong an impact as I can. For that it would require a lot of hard work. It’s not like I have taken these many wickets and I will be sorted when I am there. I will have to keep evolving as a player and that’s the goal.”