From bowling at the nets of the Duleep Singh School of Cricket in Porbandar to leading the bowling of India U-19 attack in the 2010 World Cup. From a forgettable Test debut in the same year to leading his own team in the finals of Ranji Trophy 2018/19, left-arm fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat has seen it all. And now he has set out to lead the Saurashtra team in a new domestic season and his first destination is Bengaluru, where Saurashtra will play all their fixtures of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. 

At 27, Undakat is confident about himself and his team. It’s certain that he knows his players well and they appreciate him as a captain, a position that he thinks relies on how much one can adapt. The southpaw has led the team before and how. Having led this team to a Ranji Trophy final in the previous season, he admits that his teammates have faith in him.  

“I have captained this team before, in the previous season and before that Jaydev Shah was the captain and the team did well under him and it’s all good in the dressing room. The players know each other and idea is to go out there to win,” Unadkat told SportsCafe.

“Having planned something in terms of leading the team and meeting it can actually be different from what you would want, different from what your original plans are. So for me what works is adaptability, rising to the occasion, acting according to the situation out there in the middle.”

Starring in the Duleep Trophy final, alongside Abhimanyu Easwaran who scored a match-winning 153 for India Red, Unadkat produced a four-wicket haul and scored a handy 32* with the bat. The Saurashtra skipper is taking that momentum forward from the win in the longer format into the one-dayers.

 “Yes definitely [winning the Duleep Trophy, does it add to my confidence now]. Momentum, uh, is something that can actually help with any being on any individual in that I feel it’s not just about that.

Transitioning smoothly across formats 

When asked which format he is most comfortable playing or the one he enjoys the most, Unadkat gives us a perspective of a bowler who just simply loves his game. 

“Like in Test matches, you get to bowl longer spells and you get time to set up a batsman and then get them out- it’s about rhythm- and in white-ball cricket, it’s about trying different variations, not allowing the batter to get to a step above you, all that stuff. I think it all comes down to transitioning and adaptability again. And I, I just love bowling. Give me a ball and I'm ready to play in any format.”

Speaking about the preparations for Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Indian cricketer said, “It's going to be one-dayers this time so yeah you know, you need to shift directly to that mindset bowling white ball, and you know, being on your toes from the first game itself....because sometimes it happens that we don't really focus that well right from the start and then it takes a couple of games for you to get in the groove, so not allowing that to happen. Being right up there from the first game itself is what I have in my mind.”

Only as a 19-year-old, Unadkat made his Test debut for India and he recalls all his debuts across three formats to be his “most special memories playing Cricket”. Despite his forgettable maiden Test against South Africa, he does see it as an experience. “I don’t think my performance in the debut Test was the reason why I wasn’t selected for the longest format again. There was a lot of competition, still is, and although it does bug me that I didn’t get a second chance it doesn’t pull me back. 

"Now that I have matured as a player, and I know what all I need to work on, what are the requirements to keep me a step ahead of others. So as long as I’m aware of those things I am quite happy rather than focusing on why am I not getting selected. 

Unfazed by money

To Unadkat, money doesn’t matter as long as he’s bowling well. With a whopping 11.5 cr signing in the 2018 IPL, he became the highest paid Indian cricketer in that edition. But according to him “monetary part isn’t any factor at all, what matters is if you’re bowling well to the batsman in front of you.”

“Surely a lot was being expected of me but it took me a couple of games to realize that it’s a team effort and just because of the money association it cannot be just me playing, it about playing for the team. Once you step on the ground, nothing else matters but the game that you’re going to play. But probably the media won’t understand,” he shares a laugh.

So before signing off, we didn’t leave a chance to ask him about Steve Smith as Unadkat has played with the Aussie across two different IPL teams. “He was my teammate in Pune before Rajasthan Royals. He has a great cricketing mind and has been an inspiration to me throughout. And that’s how a player like him should be, he’s on top of the world right now. And he doesn’t give too many chances to the bowlers and makes the bowler feel that he’s no good,” he giggles, “that’s how Smith is.”