‘Dear Red Ball…’ – Jaydev Unadkat’s heartwarming post on social media after stunning spell against Delhi

Saurashtra skipper Jaydev Unadkat expressed his happiness on social media after taking a hattrick in his first over of the match on Wednesday against Delhi. In the 88-year-old history of the Ranji Trophy, Unadkat is the first player to ever record a hat-trick in the first over by taking wickets off the third, fourth, and fifth deliveries. The match was played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot.

Unadkat’s hat-trick victims included youthful Delhi captain Yash Dhull, Vaibhav Rawal, and opener Dhruv Shorey, all of whom were dismissed for no score. The 31-year-old added two more wickets by the end of his second over to secure his 21st five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. With career-best figures of 8 for 39 in his 12 overs on Tuesday, Unadkat continued to create damage.

It has helped me in the past and it will help me in the future as well: Jaydev Unadkat

Earlier, Unadkat destroyed the Delhi batting, taking five for six wickets in his first two overs, giving his India career a new lease on life nearly 12 years after he played his first Test. In his second and the team’s third over, he dismissed Jonty Sindh (4) and Lalit Yadav (4), leaving Delhi facing one of their poorest batting performances in recent memory.

“The confidence I have got from the Bangladesh series is something that I would cherish throughout the games I will play from now onwards,” Unadkat told reporters after the match. Unadkat’s ball-handling skills will once more put him on selectors’ radars, but he is not in a rush and is content to take each game as it comes.

“I will take one game at a time. It has helped me in the past and It will help me in the future as well. A Ranji Trophy game is of the same importance for me as any other game I play, so at the moment I am focused on the next couple of matches. I had no clue about the record. I thought there must be one or two bowlers who had achieved this feat in history. It feels special, and humbling, to be honest,” the fast bowler stated.