After being released from the India squad for the second Test against Australia beginning on February 17, fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat will be available to captain Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy final against Bengal beginning on February 16 in Kolkata.
Unadkat reportedly requested to play in the Ranji Trophy final from the Indian team management before the selectors gave their consent to his release.
Unadkat was a member of India’s Test squad for the first two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia after making his Test comeback in Bangladesh in December of last year after a 12-year absence. He was absent from the starting lineup for the first Test of the series in Nagpur, which India won in three days by an innings and 132 runs. Delhi will host the second Test between February 17 and February 21.
By defeating Karnataka by four wickets in the semi-final on Sunday in Bengaluru, Saurashtra advanced to the Ranji Trophy final. Bengal defeated Madhya Pradesh in the other semifinal match by a score of 306 runs.
The presence of Unadkat increases Saurashtra’s chances of winning the championship after taking home the first one in the 2019–20 season. Unadkat led the team in each of the three matches he has played in this Ranji Trophy season, and he has taken 17 wickets at an average of 13.64.
