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Want to get back in the Indian Test team: Unadkat
Fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat said that getting back into the Indian Test team is a priority for him. Unadkat played his only Test in December 2010 at the age of 19 and has since gone on to play for India in seven ODIs and 10 T20Is.
By
migrator
migrator
New Delhi
The Indian pace attack is considered among the best in the world in Test cricket with the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav all contesting for a place while the team has regular seamers in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma. Unadkat admitted that the competition for a place in the Indian Test pace battery is probably the toughest it has ever been.
"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," said Unadkat in a video interview with his Rajasthan Royals teammate and New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi on the Indian Premier League franchise's account.
However, he also said that he would like to excel in other formats as well. "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," he said.
Unadkat's last international match was a T20I against Bangladesh in 2018 after which he was dropped due to his inconsistent form but he is now back in the reckoning after finishing the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy season as the highest wicket taker with 67 scalps. He was also the captain of the Saurashtra side that won the title.
The 28-year-old now feels he is at his peak and wants to extend this phase as much as possible. "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. 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," he said.
2018 IPL auction price tag gives me belief on my ability
Unadkat's brilliant 2017 season in which he took 24 wickets at an average of 13.41 for the Rising Pune Supergiant led to him being bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 11.5 crore. It made him the most expensive Indian cricketer to be sold in the auction.
"The 2018 auction has been the talking point about my career for a couple of years. It was the auction I was looking forward to after having a good season in 2017 and then making a comeback into the national team; it was going to be a big auction. I was certain that whichever franchise will pick me up, it will be a long term relationship. I was happy that it was Rajasthan Royals who actually pick the players on the basis of the data analysis on them and not just the names," said Unadkat in a video interview with his RR teammate Ish Sodhi on the IPL franchise's Facebook page.
Unadkat however struggled to live up to the price tag, picking just 11 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 44.18. His inconsistency also led to him losing his place in the Indian T20 squad. His price was brought up every time he failed throughout the season but Unadkat said that it will always be proof of the ability he possesses.
"I was happy that I was right up there in their books. They showed a lot of trust and confidence in buying me for that price," he said. "What that has done is it has given me a belief that is going to stay with me for the rest of my career that I have those skills. Yes, I was not good enough in the seasons since but I still know that I have those skills inside me. If I am able to have as much confidence as I have on them now, I am actually going to live up to those expectations that everyone has on me."
Unadkat has since bounced with a strong season in the Ranji Trophy in which he was the highest wicket taker in the tournament and captained Saurashtra to the title.
Have been a big fan of Steve Smith's captaincy
"Ever since I have played under him, or for that matter since he has known me, he has backed me to the fullest," said Unadkat in a video interview with his Rajasthan Royals teammate Ish Sodhi on the IPL side's Facebook page.
"I am grateful that this happened to me at that time of my career when I was still trying to make a name for myself. I had confidence in myself but you know how important it is to have the captain's confidence. That happened in the 2017 season. I have been a big fan of his captaincy and obviously of him as a player."
The 28-year-old rejoined Smith at the Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 season where he also shares the dressing room with England trio Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer. Unadkat said that he tries to learn from all of them and spoke about how Stokes tried to motivate him when he was feeling low on confidence.
"These guys are not just good on the field, they are pretty lively even in the dressing room," said Unadkat.
"I have been speaking to Jos and Smithy when he was captain. I've had Ben coming to me and giving a nice piece of advice when I have not been confident about my own game and that has boosted me. Jofra was also of equal help, talking about what his mindset is when I asked him in the nets."
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