India Vs Australia: T Natarajan To Replace Injured Umesh Yadav In Remaining Two Tests

India vs Australia: The BCCI on Friday confirmed that Umesh will not be able to recover in time to be fit for the third and fourth Test.

Image: @BCCI

Left-arm fast bowler T Natarajan has been added to India’s Test squad for the remaining two matches against Australia, the BCCI confirmed on Friday. Umesh Yadav picked up a strain in his left calf muscle during the second Test at Melbourne following which he was forced to walk off the field. BCCI informed on Friday that both Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami were heading back to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for the rehabilitation of their injuries and confirmed that Umesh Yadav had been ruled out of the series. “The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named T Natarajan as Yadav’s replacement,” BCCI said in a release. “Ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Shardul Thakur was added to the Test squad as Mohd. Shami’s replacement after the senior fast bowler suffered a hairline fracture in his right forearm. Both Shami and Umesh Yadav will head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation of their injuries.”

NEWS: T Natarajan to replace Umesh Yadav in India’s Test squad. #TeamIndia #AUSvIND

Details ???? https://t.co/JeZLOQaER3 pic.twitter.com/G9oXK5MQUE — BCCI (@BCCI) January 1, 2021

Umesh is the latest India cricketer to have been injured since IPL 2020 with Ishant Sharma being the first to be ruled out of the entire T20 tournament after an abdomen issue. After Ishant, spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who received a maiden India call-up, returned home from UAE due to a shoulder injury.

Rohit Sharma joins the squad in Melbourne

Rohit Sharma joined the entire squad on Wednesday after ending his quarantine period in Sydney. Sharma's return to Team India will boost the entire squad's morale at a time when several key players have been ruled out of the Test series due to injuries including skipper Virat Kohli who has flown back home for the birth of his first child.  The entire squad welcomed Rohit Sharma as he entered the hotel in Melbourne. Clearing the cloud of doubt over the occasion for the third Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, Cricket Australia has confirmed that the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will host the third Test of the series, as per the schedule.