Thangarasu Natarajan replaced the injured Umesh Yadav on the India Test team on Friday for the remaining two matches against Australia, continuing his remarkable rise in international cricket.
The 29-year-old had started as a net pitcher during the series and then made his way to the T20I and ODI squads. He caught eight wickets (two ODI and six T20I) during his four limited appearances in the national colors.
Previously, Shardul Thakur had replaced the injured Mohammed Shami on the squad before the second test.
“Umesh Yadav suffered a strained left calf muscle on day 3 of the second Border-Gavaskar test in Melbourne. The fast pitcher will not fully recover before the remaining two test matches and has been dropped from the series, “BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated in a press release.
“The All India Senior Selection Committee has appointed T Natarajan as Yadav’s replacement. Before the Boxing Day test, Shardul Thakur was added to the test team as Mohd. Shami’s replacement after the senior fast bowler sustained a minor fracture to his right forearm, ”the statement added.
Both Shami and Umesh Yadav will head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation from their injuries.
congratulations to @y_umesh about the birth of a girl today.
We also wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him in the field soon 😊😊 pic.twitter.com/utpMVM6wUI
– BCCI (@BCCI) January 1, 2021
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has also been named vice-captain of the touring team.
Mumbaikar, 33, who had missed the series of limited overs and the first two tests against Australia due to a hamstring injury, rejoined his team in Melbourne on Thursday.
“There was never a shred of doubt who will be the vice-captain of India once Virat takes a break and Ajinkya is elevated. It was always going to be Rohit and Pujara was just an interim arrangement until the first one joined the team, ”a senior official with knowledge of the development told PTI under conditions of anonymity.
“Rohit has long been India’s vice captain of the white ball, so it was imperative that, in Virat’s absence, he was part of the team’s leadership group,” the official added.
The wait is over!
The Hitman @ ImRo45 the show is about to unfold. #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/DdagR1z4BN
– BCCI (@BCCI) January 1, 2021
Rohit has scored 2,141 runs in 32 events at an average of 46 more. He has six hundred in his kitty with a best of 212 against South Africa in 2019.
India will depart for Sydney on January 5 for the New Years trial which is scheduled to start on January 7.
India Test Equipment: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (goalkeeper), Rishabh Pant (goalkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeepv , Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan.
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