Jaydev Unadkat creates unique India record with fairytale ODI comeback after 3,539 days

It's been quite a journey for Unadkat since his last ODI appearance for India on November 21, 2013. Now, he stands among the few players to experience such a lengthy gap between games, making his return all the more intriguing.

The hosts opted for an unchanged XI for the third ODI, and India made two changes to their lineup. In place of Axar Patel and Umran Malik, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jaydev Unadkat stepped in for the match.

For Gaikwad, it's his second ODI appearance, whereas Unadkat's return to ODI cricket comes after nearly a decade. This match will be his eighth ODI, and it's fascinating to note that his previous ODI match appearance was also against the same opposition, West Indies, back in Kochi in November 2013.

Adding to the excitement, this is the first men's ODI hosted at the Brian Lara Stadium. Prior to this, the venue witnessed a men's T20I and six women's white-ball games, making it a notable occasion for cricket enthusiasts.

Recently In December 2022, Jaydev Unadkat made a remarkable comeback, creating a rare and noteworthy Indian record with his Test appearance after an astounding 12-year gap against Bangladesh. Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat etched his name in the history books, becoming the first cricketer from India to miss the highest number of Test matches in the game's illustrious history. It all started when he made his Test debut against South Africa at Centurion on December 16, 2010.

During those intervening years, Unadkat found himself absent from an astounding 118 Test matches, an unparalleled feat among Indian players and the second-highest in the entire history of world cricket. Only England's Gareth Batty, with 142 missed matches, stands ahead of him in the history of Test cricket.