Jaydev Unadkat replaces injured Mohammed Shami in India’s Test squad

Left-arm fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat has been added to the Indian Test squad for the two-match series against Bangladesh. Unadkat, who powered Saurashtra to the Vijay Hazare Trophy triumph recently, has been called up as a replacement for Mohammed Shami – ruled out of the series due to a bowling arm stress. Unadkat’s only appearance so far in the longest format was almost exactly 12 years ago, as a teenager straight out of India Under 19 side, in the first Test of the 2010-11 tour of South Africa. In that Test, in Centurion, he finished with figures of none for 101 as India lost by an innings and 25 runs.

Meanwhile, there are chances of regular skipper Rohit Sharma joining the squad ahead of second Test (December 22-26). He suffered a ‘blow on his left thumb’ during the second ODI in Dhaka on December 7. In the first Test (December 14-18), KL Rahul will be leading the side. Abhimanyu Easwaran, who led India A in the two-match series against Bangladesh. Has been named as a cover for Rohit in the first Test. Unadkat is the second player set to join India’s Test squad in Bangladesh as an injury replacement. On Friday evening, Abhimanyu Easwaran, the Bengal player who led India A to a 1-0 win in the four-day series against Bangladesh A on a shadow tour.

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Unadkat replaces Shami for Tests in Bangladesh

Was called-up as cover for Rohit Sharma, who has flown home to Mumbai to nurse a finger injury he picked up during the ODI series. Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar is also in line to replace Ravindra Jadeja. Saurabh finished the ‘A’ tour with a haul of 15 wickets across two red-ball matches. Over the past five years, Unadkat has built up an impressive body of work with Saurashtra. The team he has led to a wave of success in the Indian domestic circuit. He was front and centre during their first Ranji Trophy title win in 2019-20, picking up 67 wickets. The second-highest haul by a bowler in a season. Over the last three Ranji seasons, Unadkat has picked up 115 wickets in 21 matches.

If you love the way you play the game, all other things will fall in place. I love this space and the mindset I’m currently in and don’t want to change that for anything. But the hunger and fire to play and perform for the country is still burning bright.” Ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy final, Unadkat reiterated that “the hunger and fire to play and perform for the country is still burning bright”. Unadkat led Saurashtra to the title, finishing as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets in ten games.