Jaydev Unadkat
, who played a few matches for the English club side
Sussex
last year, is all set to rejoin them for the County Championship next month. The left-arm fast bowler from
Saurashtra
, who made a comeback to the Indian team after 12 years in 2022 and was also a part of the Indian Test and ODI teams last year, says that playing
county cricket
has taught him a lot and he is “eagerly looking forward to another season of county cricket.”
Jaydev says, “All the county teams boast of rich legacy and have passionate supporters.
Since the pitches and weather are so different in the UK as compared to what we get in India, you get to learn a lot as a cricketer, and it helps to enhance your skills. But apart from cricket too, county cricket teaches you a lot.”
Elaborating on it, Jaydev says, “When we are playing in India, we have liaison officers who take care of everything. But while playing county cricket in the UK, while you are given a flat to stay in and a car to drive around, you have to take care of everything else on your own. From living on my own to making my breakfast and doing my laundry, staying there taught me to be self-dependent. It’s a different experience altogether and I enjoyed every bit of it. I like to cook and enjoy the process. While I can’t make the regular roti-sabji, I love to experiment in the kitchen and make some interesting dishes.”
‘After a hectic IPL, I loved spending time at home’
After a hectic IPL, which ended on May 26 (he was a part of Team Hyderabad, the eventual runners-up), Jaydev loved spending some quality time at home. He says, “During the IPL, we have to travel constantly, and the schedule gets very hectic. While I am used to it by now, it’s important to slow down whenever possible. For one month after the IPL, I was at home and loved spending time with my loved ones. We set up our balcony too.”
He adds, “We love road trips and every monsoon, we usually visit the Gir Forest with the family. We plan to do it again soon.”
‘I am eagerly looking forward to doing well for Sussex and Saurashtra’
My wife (Rinny Kantaria) will be accompanying me to the UK and we are excited about this trip. She was there for a few days during the last season too. The best part is that you don’t have to travel too far for sightseeing. There are a lot of public parks and we love going there for walks. A new season is always exciting, and I am eagerly looking forward to doing well for Sussex and Saurashtra. Also, as long as you play first-class cricket, your ultimate dream is to be a part of
Team India
and I will continue working towards that.
English (US) ·