India vs Australia: T Natarajan likely to be included in Team India as Umesh Yadav's replacement

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Melbourne, Dec 31: India fast bowler Umesh Yadav has left for India last evening after the Vidarbha pacer suffered an injury in his calf muscle on the third day the Boxing Day Test.

The right-arm pacer underwent scans after he complained of pain in his calf muscle while bowling on Day 3 of the second Test match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Team India have already suffered a massive jolt during the first Test when strike pacer Mohammad Shami was ruled out of the tournament following his wrist injury. Shami was released from the squad after getting scanned. Umesh's injury would add to the headache of team management for they'll have to pick either Shardul Thakur or Navdeep Saini as the third pacer for Sydney Test.

The team management, however, expects Umesh to be fine before the England series. As for Umesh's replacement, Team India could include T Natarajan in the squad for the remaining two games.

According to an ANI report, the sources in the know-how of the developments in the Indian camp said, "His (Umesh Yadav) scans came in and he will miss the third and fourth Test. So, there was no point in holding him back and it better that he returns to the country and undergoes rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He left on Wednesday."

The source added further that Natarajan - who made his debut for India during the limited-overs series against Australia - could be added to the Test squad.

Reports also have it that the team management is likely to prefer Shardul Thakur over Natarajan in the third Test. The third Test begins in Sydney from January 7.

"While people are excited about the brilliant progress shown by T Natarajan, we mustn't forget he has played only one first-class match for Tamil Nadu. And Shardul has been a seasoned domestic red ball pacer for Mumbai," a BCCI source privy to developments in Australia told PTI on Thursday (December 31).