'He might not play vs BAN, could lose place in the team for AUS series': Karthik's bold take on India star's selection

The BCCI's selection committee made a couple of changes in Team India's Test squad for the impending two-match series against Bangladesh. Captain Rohit Sharma was ruled out with his thumb injury and Abhimanyu Easwaran replaced him. Meanwhile, Navdeep Saini and Saurabh Kumar came in Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami while Jaydev Unadkat was also added to the team. Senior India cricketer Dinesh Karthik was elated to see Unadkat being rewarded with what he had long waited for, but pointed out a harsh reality over his chances of featuring in the XI.

Unadkat made his Test debut back in 2010, in Centurion, during India's tour of South Africa. He returned with no wickets in India's innings defeat. 12 years hence, Unadkat earned his second Test call-up. The 31-year-old has been in sensational form in the domestic circuit in the last three season, picking 115 wickets in 21 matches. 67 of those came during Saurashtra's title-winning run in 2019/20 season.

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Speaking to Cricbuzz, Karthik pointed out that Unadkat might not get the opportunity to feature in the India XI for the second time despite earning a call-up. He further added that the veteran bowler might even lose his spot in the Team when Jasprit Bumrah returns for the Australia series.

"I think Unadkat might not play this series, to be very honest. There is Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur. There is a good chance he might not end up playing this series, but I think that is okay. The fact that he was rewarded, he has been given those whites to represent India, be part of the team, that matters the most. He might not even find a place in the team for the Australia series, with Bumrah or Shami coming in, we might move on," he said.

The other pacers part of the India squad are Shardul Thakur, Mohammed. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and are all preferably ahead in the pecking order leaving Unadkat chance of making the XI bleak.

Karthik, however, was full of praise for Unadkat, hailing him as "the most deserving fast bowler from the Indian domestic cricket."

"An absolutely heart-warming story, he is probably the most deserving fast bowler from the Indian domestic cricket in the last couple of years for sure. I think he plays in a state where, we obviously know how the Rajkot wicket is, to get the number of wickets he has taken, led the team so well," he said.

The India versus Bangladesh Test series will begin from December 14 onwards in Chattogram. The second Test will be played on December 22 in Mirpur.