Ranji Trophy 2022: Jaydev Unadkat picked up 6 wickets in his first 3 overs, which included a hat-trick, as Delhi were reduced to 10 for 7 in their Elite Group B match in Saurashtra on Tuesday, January 3.
In Short
- Jaydev Unadkat picked up 6 wickets in his first 3 overs
- Unadkat ripped through Delhi top-order, picking up a hat-trick in the first over
- Delhi captain Yash Dhull among top 4 batters to be dismissed for 0
PosterGuy: Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat returned to Ranji Trophy in a sensational fashion as the Saurashtra captain ripped through Delhi’s top-order at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium Ground C on Tuesday, January 3. Jaydev Unadkat picked up a hat-trick in the first over of the match after Delhi won the toss and elected to bat.
Jaydev Unadkat completed his 21st 5-wicket haul in just the 2nd over of the match as Delhi were reeling at 5 for 6. Inside the first hour of the contest, Unadkat picked up 6 wickets as Delhi were reduced to 10 for 7.
Unadkat, who took the red cherry on a chilly morning in Saurashtra, got the ball to talk in the air as Delhi batters were struggling to put bat to ball.
HISTORIC HAT-TRICK
Unadkat’s hat-trick victims include opener Dhruv Shorey (0), Vaibhav Rawal (0) and captain Yash Dhull (0). He began the wicket-taking spree in the 3rd ball of the match and Delhi were reduced to 0 for 3 at the end of the first over.
Chirag Jani joined the party to remove young Ayush Badoni for 0 in the 2nd over of the match as the top 4 of the Delhi batting order failed to trouble the scorers.
Unadkat returned to remove Jonty Sidhu and Lalit Yadav in the 3rd over to complete his hat-trick. The Saurashtra captain achieved a historic feat as he became the first bowler to pick up a hat-trick in the first over of a Ranji Trophy match.
Unadkat picked the wicket of wicketkeeper Lakshay in his 3rd wicket as Delhi were hit by the pace-bowling storm in Saurashtra.
It was a stunning return to domestic cricket for Unadakt, who returned to the Test side for the first time in 12 years when he was included in a 3-man pace attack in the last of a 2-Test series in Bangladesh in December 2022. Unadkat picked up his maiden international Test wicket and finished the game with 3 wickets.
DELHI IN DOLDRUMS
Delhi, who are reeling with just 2 points from their first 2 matches in the ongoing season after defeat to Maharashtra and a draw against Assam, were in tatters on Tuesday morning despite having made some bold calls in terms of selection.
Nitish Rana, Himmat SIngh and wicketkeeper-batter Anuj Rawat were dropped and captain Yash Dhull got Ayush Badoni, who shone for Lucknow Super Giants in their inaugural stint in IPL 2022, to open the batting. However, the move backfired as Badoni, a middle-order batter, was among the men who failed to trouble the scorers.
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