Jaydev Unadkat credits MS Dhoni and Steve Smith for IPL performances
According to Jaydev Unadkat, the confidence that MS Dhoni and Steve Smith impart in him is the reason that he is enjoying a successful season in the IPL this year. The pacer was one of the main reasons that the Supergiant were able to make it to the playoffs after a bad start to the season.
While Rahul Tripathi has hogged the headlines with his fearless batting, in the shadows, Unadkat has been doing his part for his team. The Pune pacer has already claimed 22 wickets in his 11 games so far and is the only bowler who has a chance of snatching the purple cap from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (26). Unadkat seems to have been given a new lease of life after playing just two matches in the last two seasons of the league.
“In the last couple of years, I didn’t get much of a support from the past captains despite having a fruitful domestic season,” Unadkat said in an interview with The Hindu.
“Probably that hunger to do well was the difference from the past couple of seasons. Skill-wise, I have always got it in me. It’s just about capitalising on it. The first match was important this season and once I did well, I just built on that.”
The 25-year-old is the go-to guy for Pune in the final over of matches and he has earned that trust with some scintillating performances. From securing the win against Mumbai Indians to getting a hattrick maiden in the last over of the innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Unadkat has repaid his captain's faith. However, the Pune pacer has said that the turn in form is because of the confidence that the experienced players giving him.
Unadkat recalled the game against MI when Smith handed him the ball to bowl the last over when the hosts required 17 to secure the win. The Pune pacer dismissed Hardik Pandya on the first delivery before being dispatched for a six on the very next one. With the pressure on, it was Smith who came up to him and offered some advice.
“When I bowled the last over to Rohit (MI captain Rohit Sharma), we had planned to bowl slower ones from outside the crease. He hit me for a six. That was the moment Smithy came to me and told me, I’d back you all the way. If you want to bowl the same ball, go for it”. That’s something which motivates the bowler,” Unadkat said.
Against the Sunrisers, it was MS Dhoni who came up to Undakat to instil confidence in the young man who ended up taking five wickets in the game, which included a last over hattrick maiden.
“Mahibhai, when I took those (five) wickets against Sunrisers, in between I went for a boundary. He came up to me and said “you should have not allowed the pressure to be released and you’re good enough to bowl against these kind of batsmen”. Those points at times help you execute the plans in the middle."
Some younger fans might not remember that the now 25-year-old made his Test debut way back in December 2010 in the infamous defeat to South Africa. Even though the then youngster was the most economical bowler in the team, he was never picked for another match after that.
“I have overcome that match long time ago but the hat-trick that I took (against Sunrisers) would surely be one of the most important events of my career. I hope to build on it and help RPS lift the trophy,” Unadkat concluded.
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