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ToggleJaydev Unadkat, the Rajasthan Royals pacer, believes that the conditions in the UAE for the second leg of IPL 2021 will be similar to last year with high-scoring games expected on flat wickets.
With the competition set to resume in Dubai on September 19, the left-arm pacer is confident that Rajasthan Royals, who are placed fifth in the table currently, “can perform well” despite missing the likes of Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, and Jofra Archer due to injuries and personal issues.

Jaydev Unadkat On IPL 2021 UAE Leg: Its About Restricting Those Boundaries In Smaller Grounds Like In Sharjah
Jaydev Unadkat has been in stellar form in the First-class circuit, emerging as the leading wicket-taker of the last season of Ranji Trophy, where he picked up 67 wickets. In IPL 2021-his fourth season with the Rajasthan Royals– he picked 4 scalps in as many matches averaging 28.25.
“It is harder to bowl when the boundaries are smaller like in Sharjah because the batsmen are more confident of clearing the boundary, but you have to accept the challenge and find ways to bowl,” Unadkat, who has accumulated 85 wickets in 84 matches in the IPL, said.

“We know that those games are going to be high scoring, so you got to be aware that even if you get hit, you must come back stronger. It’s not about going for 24 runs or getting 2 wickets – it’s about restricting those boundaries. On a ground which is small, and has flat wickets, every single ball matters. We played quite a few games on all the grounds last season, and the wickets and the weather are going to be similar, and we’re confident that we can do well.”
Jaydev Unadkat, 29, also revealed that he has worked on some of the technicalities in his bowling during the offseason, at his hometown in Rajkot. Having made his international debut in a Test match against South Africa in 2010, Jaydev Unadkat has so far represented India in 1 Test, 7 ODIs, and 10 T20Is. He picked 8 scalps in 7 ODIs and 14 scalps in 10 T20Is besides the solitary Test. His last T20I appearance came in 2018. In 84 IPL matches, he has 85 scalps besides his name.
Jaydev Unadkat Wanted To Make A Few Changes In His Bowling Action
Having made a decent start to the season, which includes him picking up a three-wicket haul against the Delhi Capitals, Jaydev Unadkat is keen on “looking to continue doing the same in this phase as well.”

“I wanted to make a few changes in my bowling action, so (I) was working on that, and that itself requires a good amount of time,” Unadkat, who picked up four wickets in four matches in the first half of the IPL that was held in India, said. “So, I was devoted towards making those changes and getting used to them.”
It was also the time when he was ignored for the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka when India fielded a second-string side. He had a record-breaking 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season when he picked up 67 wickets that culminated in Saurashtra’s historic win and he was in contention. However, his Rajasthan Royals team-mate Chetan Sakariya was drafted into the squad.

Jaydev Unadkat, who took a break from social media after the disappointment, feels “that kind of a phase can actually help you at times” and helps in one coming back stronger with renewed confidence.
“I wanted to do some work with my bowling and wanted to go off the attention a bit. It’s always nice if you can have some time with only yourself and the family, and not really listen to what the outside world has to say about you,” he said.“And I’ve done that in the past as well so it’s kind of a normal process which gives me that space to go deep and just be honest with myself and find out what I need to work on, and what I’m good at. That helps in gathering confidence again and come back stronger.”
Jaydev Unadkat has been snubbed for India’s ongoing tours as the 29-year-old pacer is too old to be picked for India, according to a BCCI selector. Jaydev Unadkat had done his best job as the left-arm pacer bagged 67 wickets in the 2019-20 season, the most by any bowler in the season.
However, despite his heroics with the ball in the Ranji Trophy, left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat wasn’t picked for the Indian squad for the UK tour comprising of the WTC Final and 5 Tests against hosts England. He might be just 29, but as per a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selector, he is ‘too told’ to be picked for the senior squad.