Jaydev Unadkat is adding variations to his kitty and working on his fitness to secure a permanent place as Team India's main left-arm pacer.
During India’s successful tour of Sri Lanka, bowling coach Bharat Arun said that the search for left-arm pacer was still on. “Even if we get one good left-arm fast bowler in the side, it will go well for the side,” Arun had said.
The search may end soon with Saurashtra’s Jaydev Unadkat providing that answer. He has been a much improved bowler, adding variations to his kitty that saw him emerge as the second highest wicket-taker in IPL 2017 with 24 wickets from 12 matches.
The 26-year-old Unadkat has put on more pace into his bowling while also building muscles to his body. Having experienced what Test cricket is all about as he played in the Centurion Test on the 2010-11 tour of South Africa without any wicket, Unadkat is determined to make it count whenever the opportunity arises.
Unadkat has had a good start to the 2017-18 season, bowling on unhelpful pitches in Kanpur and Lucknow in Duleep Trophy while taking seven wickets in the two warm-up matches against New Zealand including 4/44 on Thursday to go with his useful blows with the bat lower in the order.
Speaking in response to Arun’s search for left-arm pacer, Unadkat said on Thursday: “It is a good thing to be in the radar of the selectors or the team management. That motivates you to push harder and get the role that the team needs. I have played for the country in the past. I know what it takes to be there. I have now put in the efforts that I probably found was lacking when I played for the country back then."
"To keep developing as a player is all I can do. I definitely hope and wish to play for the country again, and prove myself that, ‘yes, I got the chance because I deserved it and am good enough to bowl there. For that, I need to keep bowling well and be in good rhythm.”
Besides finding the rhythm, the lanky bowler from Porbandar is working on becoming stronger and remaining injury free. “I am still at an age to build more muscle mass and survive for a longer period of time. My goal for a couple of years would be to still get stronger and build a base where I don't get injured often, still develop those (bowling) variations that I have been doing in the past, still hit the deck hard. I have been working on it and will keep working on it,” said Unadkat.
However, Unadkat is not the only left-arm pacer in the country staking the claim for a place in the national side.
There is Aniket Choudhary from Rajasthan, who has impressed national captain Virat Kohli and bowled to the Test batsman in the Indian nets last season. Choudhary’s Ranji Trophy captain and former India pacer Pankaj Singh said: “Aniket has been very good in the past couple of years. He can be that one player who can end India’s search for a left-arm pacer. He has good pace, can bowl in the right areas for a longer time. But he still has to improve his control on swing and fitness.”
India under-19 bowler in the 2016 ICC U-19 World Cup, Khaleel Ahmed from Rajasthan and Barinder Sran of Punjab, who has already tasted international experience in limited-overs, are also among the left-arm pacers who could be closely followed by the selectors to provide Kohli & Co. what they are looking for.
Did You Know?
Jaydev Unadkat made his Test debut in 2010-11 in South Africa, going wicketless for 101 runs in 26 overs. However, in 7 ODIs, all in 2013, he has picked up 8 wickets.
Jaydev Unadkat needs 8 more wickets to complete 200 first-class wickets. In 61 matches, he has picked up 192 with 10 five-wicket hauls in an innings.
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 "Jaydev Unadkat")
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