India Looks to Natarajan as Umesh Yadav Set to Miss Test No. 3, 4 vs Australia

The latest from Sydney, Australia ahead of India-Australia Test Match No. 3 focuses around the visiting side replacing injured seamer Umesh Yadav with left-arm fast bowler, Thangarasu Natarajan. Natarajan, at just 29 years of age, gets set for his first Test match in his career; he debuted in T20 and ODI formats vs Australia in December 2020.

With the four-Test match series tied at one apiece, India and Australia get set for match No. 3 set for Jan. 7.

Yadav hurt his calf during the second Test, resulting in Natarajan’s call up.

India still has to make a decision on this third seamer spot, though, with coach Ravi Shastri having to choose between Natarajan, Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini. While Natarajan lacks Test-level experience, he does add some variety in the attack led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

“You guys would be knowing his (Natarajan) Ranji Trophy stats and how he delivers day in and day out,” Australia’s David Warner said this week. “I know he has line and lengths to do that, but obviously, back-to-back overs in a Test match? I am not a hundred percent sure.”

Warner is Natarajan’s captain with the Hyderabad Sunrisers and knows first-hand just how skilled the bowler is.

Will he have a similar impact in a Test match? We’ll potentially find out next week.