India Test star opts for England county cricket to stake claim for Bangladesh series after Duleep Trophy exclusion

Team India fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat has officially signed with Sussex for the upcoming season of English county cricket. Unadkat, known for his left-arm pace, will be showcasing his skills in the last five games of the County Championship season. This will mark his second season with Sussex, where he will be teaming up with fellow Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara to adapt to English conditions and make a significant impact on the field.

Unadkat failed to get a place in the four Duleep Trophy squads picked by the BCCI recently and decided to sign for county cricket to present a case for himself to make a comeback in the Indian red-ball set-up.

"I'm really happy to be back here. Hove is my second home. The team's been doing fantastic this season and, hopefully, in the second leg of the season, we're going to pull it through and get back in division one, where we belong! Cheers," Unadkat said in a video posted by Sussex on their social media handle.

In his first season at Sussex, Unadkat brought his A-game to the table in the four matches he played in the County Championship and claimed 11 wickets as Sussex finished in third position in Division 2.

Sussex Head Coach Paul Farbrace also talked about re-signing Unadkat for the final leg of the season.

"We are all delighted that Jaydev is returning to the 1st Central County Ground for the final five championship matches of the coming season.

"Jaydev lived up to the expectation that not only would he show his class on the field, but he would also be a fantastic person and be part of what we are all trying to achieve. Jaydev is a lovely guy who did everything he could to help our players and share his fantastic knowledge," he added.

Also Read | Jay Shah on verge of history as Greg Barclay to step down from ICC chairmanship after current termJaydev Unadkat made a Test comeback in 2022

The left-arm pacer made a sensational return to the Indian Test side after 12 years in 2022. He played the Dhaka Test against Bangladesh on December 22, 2022, which was his first Test match since 2010 where he faced South Africa in Centurion.

He grabbed the selector's attention after a path-breaking campaign in the 2019/20 edition of the Ranji Trophy, where he ended as Saurashtra's highest wicket-taker, with 67 dismissals to his name in merely 16 innings.

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