IND vs SL 2017, 3rd T20I: Healthy Competition Going in the Fast Bowling Department Good for Indian Cricket - Jaydev Unadkat

Buoyed by the strong showing in the third T20I  against Sri Lanka on Sunday (December 24), left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat has said he can add variety to the already formidable Indian pace attack.

Making his comeback to the national team following a lengthy gap, Unadkat managed to make a big impression at a time when Indian team-management had made it clear it is eyeing a left-arm pace bowler to give more dimension to its attack. In the first game in Cuttack, Unadkat took one for 7. In the following game, he took one for 22 in the following one in Indore before finishing the series on a strong note in Mumbai.

The Saurashtra star took two for just 15 off his four overs and bagged the Man of the Match award, as India thrashed the Islanders by five wickets to clean sweep the series in Mumbai.

Speaking after the game, Unadkat said the series has instilled the much-needed confidence in him which was required at the highest stage of the game.

“This series has really helped me to gain that confidence needed at the international level, in the past as well whenever I have done well in domestic I have got my chances. So it was just about doing well out there and getting that confidence. It was just not coming to me when I played for India the previous time. But yes, this series has definitely been a turnaround for me, and I really needed (it) at this point in my career, and I would be really happy to take it forward from here,” said Unadkat at the post-match conference.

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Speaking on whether the addition of a left-arm seamer would give variety to the attack, he said:

“That is something for the management to see for but I would definitely agree that a left-arm seamer does add to the variety of the team attack and it would be awesome if I will be able to keep doing well for the team and to be a regular player in the limited-overs format. That is something I am looking forward to doing now; it is just the start, I have got the confidence.”

The latest performance had only extended Unadkat’s remarkable turnaround since his lukewarm outings for India a few years ago. A stress fracture which he sustained in 2014 forced him to spend a considerable time off the field and as a result, he managed to play just one Ranji Trophy game in the 2014-15 season, four in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament and made one appearance for Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2015.

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However, he hit the ground running after recovering from the injury. He made a stunning comeback in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season, taking as many as 40 wickets that included four five-wicket hauls to help Saurashtra make it to the finals. And he continued his form in this year’s Indian Premier League too, playing a vital role in Rising Pune Supergiant’s march to the final.

He took 24 wickets in just 12 games at 13.41 including a five-wicket haul and a hat-trick as well and was behind only Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the list of this year’s highest wicket-taker. He also impressed in the two warm-up games against New Zealand by picking up seven wickets.

Unadkat is in no mood of slowing down and is looking to make the most of the impressive performances in recent times.

“It is about how I take it from here, how I work on my skills more and more. Players will try and target at my skills; they will study what my skills are now that I have played a few games on the international circuit. Those things will come into action, and it is just about how I take it from here. If I keep doing well I will definitely say a left-arm seamer is something that a team always looks forward to, be it any domestic or an international team,” he said.

Unadkat further credited his improved fitness and strength for the form he is in.

“The only thing probably which made me become a better bowler or to gain some more skills in my armoury is that I have become a lot more stronger than what I was when I made my debut. For a fast bowler it is one aspect that really helps to build on the skills, the fitness,” he said.

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“To be playing every format and playing throughout the year, it’s really important to improve on the fitness aspect. It’s something that is not related to the game directly, but the impact of fitness is going to be on the bowling. Maybe that’s the only thing that has changed, and I have certainly matured as a player. Any player who plays through the Indian domestic circuit, playing the T20s, the one-dayers and Ranji Trophy, that too on flat tracks that we play on in Saurashtra. It’s those times it’s just about you and motivating yourself and back.

“Those are the times that you go through the grind and make out what your abilities are and where you need to improve. So after making my Test debut, going back into domestic cricket knowing already what needs to be done at the highest level did help me in that part of my career. Coming through all these seasons have immensely helped me to know what I need to gain on,” Unadkat added.

The 26-year old went on to say that the stiff competition for a place in India’s bowling department is healthy for the Indian cricket. He also said that the competition is taking the best out of the bowlers.

“It’s extremely good for Indian cricket. It’s a healthy competition going in the fast bowling department, which hasn’t always been the case for us. Guys are looking to get their opportunity and pushing the bar forward. That just helps us to push the standards higher. That’s something that has helped me in the past couple of years,” he said.

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