CHENNAI: Thirty-one-year-old Jaydev Unadkat has been called up to India's Test squad in Bangladesh as a replacement for an injured Mohammed Shami. Shami is currently undergoing rehab for a shoulder injury at the BCCI's National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He picked up the right shoulder niggle during a training session prior to the Bangladesh tour.
For Unadkat this is only the second call-up to the Test squad. His only appearance so far in the format came almost 12 years ago when he played in the first Test of the 2010-11 tour of South Africa as a teenager. In that Test at Centurion, he ended with figures of none for 101 as India lost by an innings and 25 runs.
But Unadkat is a vastly improved player today and has proven his mettle across formats.Unadkat coming in place of Shami may not exactly be a like-for-like replacement but his current form and a good show in the last couple of seasons paved the way for his recall.
He was the highest wicket-taker in the just-concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy in which has had 19 scalps in 10 games. Unadkat is one of the most successful pacers in Indian domestic cricket and has picked 353 wickets in his 96-match career which includes a record-breaking 2019-20 season of Ranji Trophy in which he bagged 67 wickets that helped his side Saurashtra win their maiden Ranji Trophy title.
''I feel happy and delighted to get an opportunity to be part of the Indian Test squad,'' said Unadkat. Waiting for 12 years to get back into a Test squad can leave any other player frustrated, but not him. He insists that he had been working hard all these years expecting a call one day. ''To be honest, I think it has never been frustrating. Whatever games I got to play I was loving and enjoying them. While I was learning (all these years), I was also growing as a player and all those years have made me a better player. So at no moment did I ever feel frustrated, to be honest,'' he said.
''And there was always that motivation and that hunger to play for the nation one day after I played that Test back in 2010. So it's been an emotional journey. And I feel humbled. I feel very emotional. I feel happy and proud at the same time I thank all those who kept believing in me and who kept dreaming with me. So it's a very emotional moment I would say,'' added Unadkat on his India Test comeback.
Former India player and former bowling coach Bharat Arun who made the Indian attack a potent force in world cricket had been insisting that India lacked a left-arm medium pacer. India had tried T Natarajan, but the Tamil Nadu pacer has been injury prone. So will Unadkat fill in that slot that Arun wanted?
''Yeah, I feel, I hope I'll be able to live up to expectations and do what the team requires. My job would be will be to establish a place and to make sure that I continue to do what I've been doing in the domestic circuit and I hope the rest will follow for sure. I don't want to look at things in the future at the moment. I just want to be in the present and be useful to the team when I get an opportunity,'' added Unadkat.
Unlike many players, Unadkat has been in red-hot form in the last couple of seasons in red-ball cricket. This season too he played in the Duleep Trophy and really did well enough to help West Zone win the title at Coimbatore.
''You know bowling is about rhythm and currently, I have been bowling well. The current rhythm is very good. And I would say that the way I am bowling at the moment it won't be a major shift from the domestic to the international circuit. And I have been doing all the hard work over the years and improving my skill sets and believe that I'm good at that level (Test level),'' explained Unadkat.
Unadkat will be replacing Md Shami who was a seasoned performer. So comparisons are bound to be made between the two bowlers. ''What Shami has done over all these years in the past is special and he has set an example for all of us to follow. I have been following all these (India bowlers) guys. And I've been taking inspiration from them as they have been winning games for India. I was doing the same in the domestic circuit. So there have been inspirations and there is no way to compare me with Shami. As I said earlier I have been inspired by Shami and other bowlers. I will keep believing in my skills and I'll try and deliver for the team and play whatever role the team requires me to play. So I'll make sure that I will fill in those gaps whenever I get an opportunity,'' signed off Unadkat.