Indian left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat is not feeling any pressure despite having the high price tag in the IPL 2018. In the 2018 IPL Auction, Rajasthan Royals bought him for INR 11.5 crore which is the second highest price tag in that auction ceremony.
Recently, 26-years old Indian left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat gave an interview to Sportstar where he shared about his expectations from the upcoming IPL tournament.
When he was asked that whether it will add any pressure to become the costliest Indian cricketer in the 2018 IPL Auction, he replied, “It is an awesome feeling as a bowler, as I was picked for such a high price. I think my hard work has been accepted. Irrespective of the price tag, I need to perform well on the field. I don’t have any pressure. I am in good form and I’m looking forward to the challenges. I will put in extra effort during the IPL.”
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In the last IPL season, Unadkat was in the superb form. Playing for the runner-up Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) in IPL 2017, Unadkat took total 24 wickets and became the second most wicket-taking bowler in that tournament. It provided him with a breakthrough in his career, as he made the good comeback in the Indian squad through T20I.
Unadkat wants to repeat that performance again in this season. He said, “My hard work has paid off. I have been in good form. I always try to stick to the basics and look forward to bowl at right areas. This time too, I would like to repeat the things that have worked for me in the past.”
When he was asked whether the current Rajasthan Royals squad is facing lack of experienced pace bowlers, the left-arm pacer answered, “We have a great mix of domestic and international pacers. We have experienced Indian pacers, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny — who can bowl with variation in their pace. Moreover, we have Dushmantha Chameera and Ben Laughlin, who are performing well for their countries. So, I don’t think we lack experienced pacers.”
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The Rajasthan franchise has always encouraged the youngsters. Speaking of that, Unadkat quoted, “Royals has been a team that has always focused on scouting and grooming young talent, which is great. I have been training with the boys and their determination and energy is commendable. They are always eager to contribute. And they can learn from legends like Shane Warne.”
Steven Smith will miss the tournament due to his recent involvement in the ball-tampering scandal. While Unadkat admitted that they will miss Smith, he is also excited to play under new captain Ajinkya Rahane.
The left-arm Indian pacer quoted, “Definitely, we will be missing him. But now, we have Ajinkya as captain. He has a good experience of leading the Indian team on many occasions. The team is excited to play under his guidance.”
Unadkat is also working on to apply variations in the game. He quoted, “This time, I am looking to apply some variations in my bowling. There are couple of deliveries that I am trying out at the nets. I am currently working to develop these variations.”
When Unadkat was asked whether he can get a chance in the Indian squad for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, he said, “I am not thinking too much as of now. It is everyone’s dream to represent the country in the World Cup. I believe taking one match at a time and giving the best in whatever opportunity comes across.”
Recently, some Indian cricketers have signed for the county clubs to play the upcoming English county season. Unadkat commented on that, “I do feel county cricket is a great learning, but then there is a lot of cricket happening here and I want to prepare myself and give my best for that. I shall look out for an outing if I get a chance in a year or two to prepare.”
