Indian pacer leaves the country after Duleep Trophy 2024 snub

India’s domestic season will kick off with the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024, starting on September 5, and this will provide a great stage for the cricketers to stake their claim for the upcoming Test matches against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia.

However, many surprising names missed out on the squads for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024, and the left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat was among them. After being denied the opportunity to make a comeback in the Indian red-ball setup, the Saurashtra star decided to show his skills in England.

Hove is my second home: Jaydev Unadkat on his return to Sussex after Duleep Trophy 2024 snub

Unadkat is set to return to Sussex for the County Championship 2024. He will be joining his India and Saurashtra teammate Cheteshwar Pujara at Sussex and will be available for the last five games of the ongoing County Championship Division One 2024.

It will be Unadkat’s second stint with the Sussex County Cricket Club in the County Championship. The Indian pacer will play his first match of the ongoing County Championship 2024 for Sussex against Yorkshire at Scarborough on August 22.

Jaydev Unadkat said in a video posted by Sussex on X: “I'm really happy to be back here. Hove is my second home. The team's been doing fantastic this season, and, hopefully, in the second leg of the season, we're going to pull it through and get back in division one, where we belong! Cheers.”

Jaydev is back! 😁 So good to see you again, @JUnadkat! 💙 pic.twitter.com/2KAkPqhddi

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) August 20, 2024

Paul Farbrace welcomes Unadkat back for County Championship 2024

Meanwhile, Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace expressed his elation at re-signing Unadkat for the final leg of the County Championship Division One 2024 after his impressive debut season.

Notably, Unadkat made an instant impact for Sussex in the last four County Championship games last year. He picked up 11 wickets at 24.18 as Sussex finished in third position in Division 2.

Paul Farbrace said in an official statement: “We are all delighted that Jaydev is returning to the 1st Central County Ground for the final five championship matches of the coming season."

"Jaydev lived up to the expectation that not only would he show his class on the field, but he would also be a fantastic person and be part of what we are all trying to achieve. Jaydev is a lovely guy who did everything he could to help our players and share his fantastic knowledge.”

Jaydev Unadkat's comeback story to Test arena

Notably, the left-arm pacer made a remarkable Test comeback to the Indian cricket team in 2022 after a 12-year hiatus. His comeback Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka on December 22, 2022, marked his first red-ball appearance since he played against South Africa in Centurion back in 2010.

He played his last Test match for India against the West Indies in 2023, as he was dropped for the England series. Unadkat made a comeback following his standout performance in the Ranji Trophy 2019-20.

During this campaign, the senior pacer not only emerged as Saurashtra’s leading wicket-taker but also captained his team to the Ranji Trophy triumph. With 67 wickets in just 16 innings, he set a new record for the most dismissals by a fast bowler in a single Ranji Trophy edition.