Jaydev Unadkat called in as replacement for Mohammed Shami ahead of Bangladesh Test series
Jaydev Unadkat is back in the Indian Test setup after a long 12-year wait
A titan in the domestic circuit of India, veteran left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat has been called as Mohammed Shami's replacement for the Test series against Bangladesh, starting next week.
While BCCI is yet to release an official statement, Unadkat's home association viz. Saurashtra Cricket Association has already been informed of the decision. The 31-year-old is currently in Rajkot and awaiting visa clearances after which he will travel to Chattogram to join the team.
Unadkat replaces fast bowler Mohammed Shami who injured his shoulder ahead of the Bangladesh series. The pacer was instantly ruled out of the ODI series but a slight chance remained that he may be back in time for the Test series.
However, Shami, who is currently undergoing rehab at BCCI's National Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru will take more time before returning to the field.
As for Unadkat, he will be walking into the Test setup 12 years after he made his debut against South Africa in December 2010. He ended with figures of none for 101 as India were bundled into a heap by the Proteas.
At the time, the left-armer was fast-tracked into the Test setup as a teenager, only to not be recalled again. He had his chances in the limited-overs but the Test cap eluded him.
For long, voices were raised within the Indian cricketing community to give Unadkat a due for his tireless performances in domestic matches. Unadkat may not have had the most stellar international cricket resume but for large swathes, he has dominated the domestic competition.
Unadkat led Saurashtra to its maiden Ranji Trophy title in 2019-20. During the winning campaign, Unadkat picked a record 67 wickets which was the most by a bowler in a single season.The last three Ranji seasons have fetched a total of 115 wickets for Undakat inmere 21 matches.
Last week, the speedster added another feather to his cap by leading Saurashtra to its first-ever Vijay Hazare trophy title. En route, Unadkat picked 19 wickets in 10 matches, thereby becoming the tournament's highest wicket-taker.
(With inputs from agencies)
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