Saurashtra has had a tough start to the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, with two losses and two draws from their first four matches. Sitting seventh in their group, the team faces the risk of early elimination. However, captain Jaydev Unadkat is focused on guiding the team through this challenging period, which he describes as a “transition” phase.
Unadkat, who has led Saurashtra to two Ranji Trophy titles in the past four years, acknowledges that the team is undergoing significant changes with several senior players nearing the end of their careers. Key players like Sheldon Jackson (38), Cheteshwar Pujara (36), and Arpit Vasavada (36) are at a stage where their playing futures may soon wind down, putting more responsibility on the younger players.
“We are trying to give opportunities to the young players. As captain, I want this transition to be as smooth as possible,” Unadkat said. “The goal is for them to settle into the team and perform consistently over time.”
So far this season, Saurashtra has introduced three debutants: pacers Navneet Vora and Hiten Kanbi, and batter Parswaraj Rana. While Vora has claimed three wickets in two games, Kanbi impressed with a five-wicket haul on debut against Jharkhand. Rana, however, had a quieter start, managing only 21 runs in two innings against Tamil Nadu.
Despite the underwhelming results, Unadkat is committed to developing his team for the future, even if the current season’s performance may suffer. “It’s not that players keep coming and going. Transition phases often bring inconsistent results, but that’s part of the game,” he explained.
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Unadkat’s leadership has been crucial to Saurashtra’s success in recent years, guiding them to three Ranji finals in five seasons, including two titles (2019-20 and 2022-23). Though the team faces tough times now, he remains focused on securing victories, emphasizing that his primary motivation is to find ways to win for Saurashtra.
“I wake up every morning thinking about how our team can perform better and how we can win,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going as a captain.”
Looking beyond the Ranji season, Unadkat is also preparing for the IPL 2025 auction. He has been listed among the 1574 players available for selection, and though he is eager to return to Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team he played for in 2024, he is ready for any outcome. “The auction is nothing new for me. Whether I stay with SRH or move to another team, I just want the opportunity to play,” he said.
Unadkat’s experience and leadership will continue to be vital for Saurashtra as they navigate this rebuilding phase, with hopes of regaining their former glory in the coming seasons.
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