Saurashtra speedster Jaydev Unadkat is eyeing to return to the Indian Test team almost after a decade after having had an outrageous Ranji Trophy 2019-2020 season.
Unadkat got the opportunity to represent his country in the traditional format of the game at the age of 19 against South Africa in December 2010, but he failed to grab the opportunity, returning with no wicket in his maiden Test in Centurion, and since then he wasn’t able to return in the whites.
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However, he has been part of the Men in Blue in the limited-overs format, but in this format also he couldn’t cement his place, as he has played only 7 ODIs (8 wickets) – all in 2013 and 10 T20Is for 14 wickets with the last international appearance came in 2018 against Bangladesh in Colombo.
Well, the fast-bowlers has been in the brilliant form in the red-ball game in the domestic cricket and even had a record-breaking 2020 Ranji season, where he captained Saurashtra from the front to the maiden Ranji Trophy title by taking record 67 wickets in the premier first-class tournament.
Now, the 28-year-old has set a goal for himself to break into India’s Test squad after enjoying great success with the red-ball, though, admitted it would be tough to find a place in one of the best pace battery in the world comprising of the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.
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Unadkat told his Rajasthan Royals teammate Ish Sodhi in a video interview, “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 Saurashtra captain feels he is at his peak and now his main goal is to get back his India place across the formats and be in the national squad for a long time and make as strong an impact as he can.
The pacer 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. 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.”
Unadkat signed off by saying, “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,”
(With IANS Inputs)
