Jaydev Unadkat to replace Mohammed Shami in Test's squad

NEW DELHI: Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat is set to replace injured senior right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami in India's Test squad for the upcoming Test series Bangladesh, starting from December 14 in Chattogram.

A report in ESPNCricinfo said Unadkat is currently in Rajkot, and is waiting to complete his visa formalities. It added that he is expected to link up with the Test squad in Chattogram over the next couple of days.

Shami had been earlier ruled out of India's ODI series against Bangladesh due to sustaining a shoulder injury during a training session in the lead up to the trip. He is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

The report said after Shami missed the ODI leg of the tour of Bangladesh, there was a slim chance that he would be fit for the two Tests against Bangladesh, but that has now been ruled out.

Unadkat, 31, is receiving just the second call-up in his playing career to the Indian Test squad. His only appearance so far in Tests came almost 12 years ago, in the first Test of the 2010/11 tour of South Africa in Centurion.

He was given a Test debut as a teenager straight out of the India Under-19 team, and had played in U19 World Cup that year in New Zealand. In that Test match, he ended with figures of zero wickets for 101 as India lost by an innings and 25 runs.

Back in the grind of domestic cricket, Unadkat's record in first-class cricket grew and in last five years, he emerged as the leader of the Saurashtra side, leading their bowling attack from the front.

He was a central figure in Saurashtra's first Ranji Trophy title win in 2019/20, picking a record-breaking 67 wickets, the most by a bowler in that season. In the last three Ranji Trophy seasons, Unadkat has picked up 115 wickets in 21 matches.

Recently, he was the highest wicket-taker in 2022/23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, picking up 19 wickets in ten matches to lead Saurashtra to the title. Apart from a solitary Test appearance, Unadkat has also played seven ODIs and ten T20Is for India, seen in the national set-up last time when India won the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka in March 2018.

India have also given a call-up to Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, as skipper Rohit Sharma flew home to Mumbai to nurse a left thumb injury he picked up during the second ODI against Bangladesh. Easwaran had recently led India A side to 1-0 victory over Bangladesh A in the four-day series.

Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar is reportedly set to replace injured all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the Test squad after picking 15 wickets across two red-ball matches in the India A trip to Bangladesh. (IANS)

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