31-year-old domestic veteran replaces Mohammed Shami for the Test series against Bangladesh

Indian team is currently going through a conundrum in selections due to the injuries during the ongoing tour of Bangladesh. In a recent series of blows, skipper Rohit Sharma’s participation in the Test series is still ambivalent as he had to fly to Mumbai for the consultation of doctors for his dislocated thumb.

Advertisment

Other than Rohit, senior pacer Mohammed Shami is likely to be excluded from the Test series against the hosts. In the same line of events, pacers Kuldeep Sen and Deepak Chahar were also ruled out of the ongoing three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the reports have learned that veteran domestic pacer Jaydev Unadkat is set to replace Shami in the reb-ball series against Bangladesh. Although, the official confirmation is still awaited from the Indian Cricket Board.

But the Board has already informed the Saurashtra Cricket Association, Unadkat’s home cricket board in domestic cricket.

Advertisment

Jaydev Unadkat is to join the Indian squad soon

The inclusion of Unadkat in the squad also transliterates into the fact that he will not be a part of Saurashtra’s first match in the Ranji Trophy against Assam. Unadkat has impressed with his stellar performances as a bowler and skipper for Saurashtra.

The 31-year-old led Saurashtra to glory in the Ranji Trophy when they won their maiden title in the 2019-20 season. The team also clinched the title of the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy under the captaincy of Unadkat.

Advertisment

The right-arm pacer scalped 19 wickets in 10 games and ended up as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.

As of now, Unadkat is waiting for the completion of the visa formalities and currently staying in Rajkot.

Notably, Saurashtra’s regular seamer and skipper haven’t appeared in any Test match since his debut for India against South Africa in the Centurion Test of 2010. Unfortunately, he couldn’t scalp any wickets in his debut Test match.

Looking at Unadkat’s track record in domestic cricket, he has played 96 FC matches and scalped 353 wickets with 20 five-wicket hauls in an inning and 5 10-wicket hauls in a match.