Former Indian pacer Karsan Ghavri, who was also the Saurashtra coach, spill the reason why BCCI fails to give an international call to Jaydev Unadkat.
Why BCCI rejects Jaydev Unadkat?
Unadkat bagged a whopping 67 wickets in just 10 matches at a stunning bowling average of 13.23 and strike rate of 28.2 with as many as 7 five-wicket hauls in an innings and 3 ten-wicket hauls in a match in the 2019-20 edition of the Ranji Trophy.
Despite having an impressive domestic performance Unadkat fails to continue his form in the followed IPL season. Unadkat had a poor season in IPL 2020 in the UAE returning with just 4 wickets in 7 matches and was also tonked around for aplenty going at 9.91 runs per over.
“I asked a selector during the Ranji Trophy final (2019-20) that if a bowler takes more than 60 wickets and has taken his team into the final of the Ranji Trophy single-handedly, shouldn’t he be at least picked for India A. That selector told me: ‘Kadu bhai, he won’t be picked for India anymore. His name is not even considered by us when we think of 30-odd players.’ ‘Why not, I asked him.’ ‘Then what’s the point of him picking so many wickets? I was told that ‘he’s already 32-33. Age is spoiling his case. It has put a full stop to his India career,” Ghavri told TOI.
The selector also shockingly revealed that they would invest on a youngster who can play for India for a long period of time.
“Why should we invest in an older player? We would rather pick a 21, 22 or a 23-year-old player if he’s good, he can serve India for 8-10-12 years. If we pick Unadkat today, how many years will he serve India for?’ This is what that selector told me,” Ghavri added. Apart from one Test match, Unadkat has also featured in seven ODIs and ten T20Is.
Instead, an inexperienced and relatively new in the circuit, Arzan Nagwaswalla has been selected as the only left-arm in the squad of 24. India boasts of a world-class pace attack but all in the quartet are right-arm fast and so are the reserves Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur.
With an experienced, in-form, at the peak of his prowess Unadkat in great form in the long format and with India needing variety in their attack, it was the perfect opportunity for India to give Unadkat a ticket to England – especially when T Natarajan – the young left-armer who impressed in Australia – was not part of the squad.
