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In a disappointing development for Team India, Jaydev Unadkat suffered a shoulder injury during a Lucknow Super Giants practice session during IPL 2023. Bowling in the nets before the game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Unadkat landed awkwardly as his left foot got stuck in the rope that kept the nets up.
Jaydev Unadkat hurt his left shoulder as he fell on his bowling elbow. The left-arm pacer has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2023 because of the shoulder injury. BCCI had earlier named him in the squad for the World Test Championship Final against Australia, scheduled to happen in Southampton from June 7 onwards.
While there is still one month left for the match, it is not 100% guaranteed that Jaydev Unadkat will be fit and available for the big game. If Unadkat misses out, the BCCI will have to name an injury replacement.
Quite a few pacers have impressed the fans in the IPL this year, with one of them being Delhi Capitals' Ishant Sharma. The tall pacer has scalped six wickets in four matches this season so far. In this listicle now, we will look at three reasons why Ishant should replace Jaydev Unadkat if the latter is ruled out of the WTC Final 2023.
#1 Ishant Sharma has enormous experience of playing Test cricket in England
One of the major reasons why the BCCI should add Ishant Sharma to the Indian squad for the World Test Championship Final is the experience that the pace bowler can add to the fast-bowling unit. Sharma has toured England multiple times in his Test career.
He has played 15 Test matches in England, scalping 51 wickets. Even in his last Test on English soil, Sharma took five wickets at Lord's and helped India win an away Test against England. His experience and great record in England may tempt the BCCI to add him to the squad.
#2 Ishant Sharma recently played red-ball cricket
Some fans may feel that drafting Sharma into the WTC Final squad based on his good performance in IPL could be a bad decision, especially as a replacement for Jaydev Unadkat, who has played a lot of red-ball cricket in the recent past.
However, those fans should note that Sharma turned up for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy last season. He played in the match against Maharashtra and bowled 20 overs in the first innings. The veteran player has also managed himself well in this hectic IPL season.
#3 Sharma has a good record against Australia in Tests
Sharma did not participate in the previous two Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, but the tall pacer has played 25 Test matches against Australia, scalping 59 wickets. Notably, he took 11 wickets in his last three Tests against the Aussies.
Travis Head troubled India in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, but he lost his wicket to Sharma thrice in the three Tests that the pacer played during the 2018/19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. His record against the Aussies is another reason why Ishant should be considered as a replacement for Jaydev Unadkat if he is ruled out of the WTC Final.
