Jaydev Unadkat: Grind in domestic circuit matured me

Jaydev Unadkat was awarded the Man of the Match and also went on to win the Man of the Series.

Jaydev Unadkat has had an interesting career. He made his Test debut as a teenager in 2010. Three years later, he made his ODI debut. It took him another three years to make his T20I debut. He hadn’t played for India in almost a year-and-half, and when the opportunity came he grabbed it. Unadkat’s 2 for 15 helped India in the Mumbai T20I helped India complete a 3-0 whitewash over Sri Lanka.

He awarded the Man of the Match and also went on to win the Man of the Series award. Though he just picked 4 wickets from 3 matches, they came at an economy rate of 4.88, which is incredible in T20s. The Saurashtra left-arm pacer, who had a very good IPL season, credited the grind in domestic season for his success. Over the years, he has been a vital cog for Saurashtra’s success in domestic cricket.

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“Things went really well for me. I had some plans and I had my preparations before the series. To bowl in the Powerplay was something I was looking forward to do. It’s been long [since debut] I have been through the domestic circuit and played a lot there. That really helped mature as a player. Having played so early gave me a boost,” said Unadkat after receiving both the awards.

On comeback

“Made a comeback in 2013, wasn’t that great. It was important for me in this series to get the confidence. The most important phase of any player’s career is domestic circuit. To come out well gives you the confidence. Just wanted to give my best whenever I got the chance. IPL cricket has really helped to get the confidence when you come to the international arena,” he added.

Unadkat also thanked the team management for the support and hopes to continue the good work.

“I was always eager to do well for the nation to come and give my best whenever I got a chance with these guys. I am thankful to the team management and captain [Rohit Sharma] for his his backing. IPL cricket has really helped to get the confidence when you come to the international arena,” he added.

With Ashish Nehra retired, Unadkat looks a good fit to slip into the role of a left-arm pacer. After a long and successful home season, India will play their next game in South Africa. The first Test starts on January 5.