Jaydev Unadkat upset at not being picked in extended India squads

Pace bowler Jaydev Unadkat, who had a stellar 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season with 67 wickets for Saurashtra, is upset at not being considered in even extended squads for the tours of Australia and England despite proving himself at the domestic level.

"I expect that when I am at my peak now, when I have performed the way I have, I was hoping I'll get the call somewhere down the line," he said.

"The opportunities have reduced because of lesser tournaments but that has resulted in them creating a bigger pool for every series. That way it has become an opportunity in itself. And not being selected in that sense has been disappointing for sure," he told The Hindu.

The 29-year-old, who has played 18 internationals for India -- one Test, seven ODIs and 10 T20Is -- is a veteran of 89 first-class matches with 327 wickets.

He was the top wicket-taker overall in the 2019-20 season, during which he led Saurashtra to the Ranji Trophy title.

He also took 39 wickets in the 2018-19 season in which Saurashtra lost the final to Vidarbha.

"To start with, maybe because I didn't have a great IPL [in 2020] -- and what they look for is current form… Since there wasn't much cricket happening back then, there was no Ranji Trophy this season, that way to start with, I felt [exclusion from] Australia tour was fine because everyone was fit in the main squad. But later on, [looking at] those who got chances, I felt I deserved one. Now for the England tour, I was hoping for it," added.

Unadkat, whose only Test was in December, 2010 in South Africa, said he was expecting to be called up for the India A series in England. However, that did not happen.

"You don't know what to expect. You don't know what tournament is coming up and what to prepare for. I was hoping there'll be an India A series, which was supposed to happen before the England tour. I was hoping to get a chance there and at least add some more wickets to the tally. But that didn't happen."

 

--IANS

kh/akm