Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India star released from squad ahead of 2nd Test against Australia

Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat was released from the Indian squad for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Sunday, February 12. Unadkat will join the Saurashtra squad for the Ranji Trophy final against Bengal at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. 

The second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will commence on February 17 in New Delhi, while the Ranji Trophy final is scheduled to take place on February 16 in Kolkata. 

NEWS - Jaydev Unadkat released from India’s squad for 2nd Test to take part in the finals of the Ranji Trophy.

More details here - https://t.co/pndC6zTeKC #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/8yPcvi1PQl

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 12, 2023

Notably, Saurashtra qualified for the final of the Ranji Trophy for the third time in the last four editions. Led by stand-in captain Arpit Vasavada, Saurashtra triumphed over Karnataka by four wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday in the semi-final. Meanwhile, Bengal secured their place in the title match by trouncing defending champions Madhya Pradesh by a resounding margin.

Last year, Jaydev Unadkat made his return to Test cricket during India's tour of Bangladesh and was selected for the first two Tests against Australia. The BCCI opted not to name a replacement for Unadkat in the squad, leaving India with a formidable pace attack of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Umesh Yadav in their 16-man squad for the second Test.

India surged to a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after delivering a crushing innings and 132-run victory over Pat Cummins-led Australia in Nagpur. Pacers accounted for only four of the 20 wickets that fell in the first Test, as spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja bamboozled the Australian batters with 15 wickets between them.

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