Jaydev Unadkat still hopeful to make a Test return

Saurashtra's Jaydev Unadkat

Saurashtra's left-arm seamer, Jaydev Unadkat is keeping his hope alive to make a comeback in the Indian side. Unadkat, who made his Test debut against South Africa at the Centurion way back in 2010, has not made a return to the Test side ever since. It's been almost twelve years from the day he played his first Test for India and is yet to play his second Test.

The 30-year-old left-arm seamer from Porbandar impressed legendary pacer Wasim Akram, who identified him as one for the future back in his Kolkata Knight Riders days. In 2010, while playing for India A, Unadkat made his first class debut and finished with a match winning 13 for 103 against West Indies in Leicester. A few months later, Unadkat made his Test debut in South Africa but failed to make an impact as the pacer went wicketless in his 26 overs for 101 runs.

Since then, Unadkat’s career has been a story of peaks and valleys. The left-arm seamer did play some white ball games for India but never made his return to India whites. He has enjoyed a largely successful career in the domestic for Saurashtra, taking 280 first-class wickets at an average of 21.57, including a miraculous 67 wickets in the 2019-20 season.

Unadkat hopeful to make a comeback into the Indian Test side

Not getting picked in Test must have been there in the back of Unadkat’s mind despite doing consistently well for Saurashtra. However, he is still hopeful to make a return into Indian Test side and revealed his recent chat with Indian National selector Sunil Joshi.

“The conversation was about being in a good rhythm. It is going to be a long season and a lot of players are getting injured. So, the break might come. Whenever it does, the only thing in my hand is to stay fit and keep bowling in the same rhythm,” Unadkat said about his conversation with Sunil Joshi on Saturday.

Assessing conditions is Unadkat’s strength

Being a seam bowler in Indian conditions, the kind of numbers Unadkat has, just shows his ability to take wickets irrespective of the conditions. On his strength to deliver in all kind of conditions, Unadkat said:

"Give me any condition and I’m right up there in assessing it, changing the angles and finding ways to take wickets. With the red ball, I have been consistent over the past 4-5 seasons. I don’t really see statistics every game, but I have been able to pick up wickets in all the games that I have played since 2015-16. At the moment, that is my strength."

Unadkat recently played for West Zone in Duleep Trophy and was player of the tournament for his 13 wickets throughout the tournament, including a 4-wicket haul against South Zone in the Final.

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