Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat was released from India's squad for the second Test of the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 against Australia on Sunday, 12 February, in order to allow him to join the Saurashtra team for the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 final.
As per a media release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the All-India Senior Selection Committee took the decision to release Unadkat in consultation with the Indian team management.
Saurashtra qualified for the final of 2022-23 Ranji Trophy by beating Karnataka in the semi-final. They will now take on Bengal in Kolkata's Eden Gardens, with the game starting on 16 February.
"The All-India Senior Selection Committee in consultation with the Indian team management has decided to release Jaydev Unadkat from India's squad for the 2nd Test of the Australia tour of India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy," the media release said.
"Jaydev will now join the Saurashtra squad, which qualified for the Ranji Trophy final to be played against Bengal from 16th February at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata," it added.
BCCI Has Not Named Any Replacement
The 31-year old pacer made his Test return during India's tour of Bangladesh last year and was picked in the squad for the first two Tests against Australia. The BCCI has not named any replacement for Unadkat in the squad, which has the likes of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav in the pace attack.
India took a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after hammering Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test in Nagpur.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)