Jaydev Unadkat set to rejoin Sussex for remainder of County Championship campaign

India left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat is set to return to England later this week to resume his County Championship stint with Sussex. The experienced seamer, who has been associated with the county since 2023, will head back to Brighton to feature in the remainder of Sussex’s red-ball campaign.

The County Championship is currently on a scheduled break, with England’s domestic calendar shifting its focus to white-ball cricket through The Hundred and the One-Day Cup. However, Unadkat is contracted exclusively for the County Championship and is expected to rejoin the squad once the red-ball competition resumes later this month.

The 33-year-old had featured in two Championship matches for Sussex in June before returning to India. His delayed arrival earlier in the season was due to IPL commitments. He is now expected to be available for Sussex’s final six matches, beginning with their clash against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on August 20.

“It’s back to county cricket. I’ve been representing Sussex for the last four seasons and it will be good preparation for the Indian domestic season,” Unadkat was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Unadkat has enjoyed an impressive record with Sussex over the last few seasons. In 13 County Championship appearances, he has claimed 57 wickets at an outstanding average of 17.75, with a strike rate of 38.2. His tally also includes a five-wicket haul. Earlier this season, the Saurashtra pacer picked up eight wickets across four innings in his two appearances.

Interestingly, Unadkat and veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara both represented Sussex during the 2024 County Championship season. The left-arm seamer will once again be expected to play a key role as Sussex push for a strong finish to their campaign.

Led by England pacer Ollie Robinson, Sussex currently occupy fifth place in Division One of the County Championship standings. The side has registered four wins, suffered two defeats, and drawn two of its eight matches so far, leaving them with six fixtures to improve their position before the season concludes.

Several other Indian cricketers are also featuring in England’s domestic circuit this year. Yuzvendra Chahal is representing Nottinghamshire, while Rahul Chahar has turned out for Surrey. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav, who is currently playing One-Day Cup cricket for Yorkshire, and Manav Suthar, who represented Warwickshire earlier this season, are also expected to return to County Championship action after completing India’s ongoing Test tour of Sri Lanka.