In a Ranji Trophy Group C match against Delhi on Tuesday in Rajkot
Jaydev Unadkat, whose international career got a new lease on life thanks to a stunning comeback against Bangladesh.
Kicked off 2023 with a bang. He scored his first first-over hat trick in the 88-year history of the Ranji Trophy.
By becoming the first cricketer to score a hat trick in the first over of a Ranji Trophy match, Jaydev Unadkat changed the course of history.
The Saurashtra captain, whose stunning comeback against Bangladesh gave his international career a new lease on life.
Kicked off the year 2023 with a bang on Tuesday in a Ranji Trophy Group C match in Rajkot.
Due to commitments with India, Unadkat did not play in Saurashtra’s first two matches this season
But the left-arm fast bowler made an impact like no other in his first appearance on the red ball this season.
Unadkat’s mastery rendered Delhi, who are without a number of their first-team cricketers due to injuries, clueless.
After the visitors decided to bat, the left-arm pacer bowled out Dhruv Shorey.
An excellent batsman for Delhi and the current highest scorer of the season, in the third ball of the match.
Vaibhav Rawal and Delhi chief Yash Dhull were given the boot for brilliant ducks as Unadkat finished his full go-around.
Dhull was caught right in front of the wickets when Rawa slid a shot past Harvik Desai and into the net.
Vinay Kumar of Karnataka had the previous fastest Ranji Trophy hat trick, completing both in the first and third overs.
Unadkat wasn’t finished
The veteran of 97 first-class matches hit twice in his next over to complete a five-wicket haul.
The 21st of his glittering first-class career, in his second over after a dream first over that left Delhi shell-shocked.
In this fight, Jonty Sidhu (age 4) and debutant Lakshay Thareja (age 1) were his victims.
There was no respite for Delhi at the other end as Chirag Jani dismissed debuant Ayush Badoni for a three-ball duck amid the chaos caused by Unadkat.
Delhi were decreased to 5/6 toward the finish of 3 overs
The only wicketless over in the match was Jani’s second over, and it would remain so at least until the fifth over, when Unadkat bowled out Lalit Yadav.
Delhi lost 7 wickets for just 10 sudden spikes in demand for the board. Unadkat struck out four of their top six batters, leaving as many as five out for a duck.
Fortunately, Pranshu Vijayran and Hrithik Shokeen addressed the slump and somehow saved Delhi from the shame of having their lowest Ranji Trophy total, 21 against Rajasthan in 2010-11, set by Hyderabad.