Jaydev Unadkat has started 2023 with a bang. He picked up a hat-trick in his first over and went on to record a career-best 8/39 in Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy match against Delhi on Tuesday.

After ending 2022 on a high where he led Saurashtra to a Vijay Hazare Trophy title and then made his Test comeback against Bangladesh after twelve years away from the format, Unadkat impressed for his state side once again.

Delhi captain Yash Dhull decided to bat after winning the toss Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium Ground C. Then in the very first over, Unadkat dismissed Dhruv Shorey, Vaibhav Rawal, and Dhull. It was a feat reminiscent of Irfan Pathan’s first over hat-trick in a Test against Pakistan in 2006.

Unadkat’s hat-trick:

1 - 0 (Dhruv Shorey, 0.3 ov, bowled by J Unadkat)

2 - 0 (Vaibhav Rawal, 0.4 ov, c H Desai b J Unadkat)

3 - 0 (Yash Dhull, 0.5 ov, lbw J Unadkat)

— BCCI match centre

With that, the Saurashtra captain registered what was the first first-over hat-trick in Ranji Trophy history. It was also Unadkat’s best figures in a first-class match, as he finished with 12-1-39-8 as his bowling figures.

via BCCI scorecard

By the end of the Day 1 in Rajkot, Unadkat added five more wickets to his tally, dismissing Jonty Sidhu, Lalit Yadav, Lakshay Thareja, Shivank Vashisht and Kuldip Yadav.

Saurashtra were 184/1 in response to Delhi’s 133 all out.