File photo of Umesh Yadav.
Team India fast bowler Umesh Yadav, who limped off the field on day 3 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, is ruled out of the remainder of Australia vs India series and is set to return to India, as per ANI.
As per the report, sources in the Indian camp confirmed that the 33-year-old pacer will now be aiming to recover in time for the England series in February.
"His scans came in and he will miss the third and fourth game. So, there was no point in holding him back and it is better that he returns to the country and undergoes rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He left on Wednesday night," the source told ANI.
The source also added that T Natarajan, who made his debut in the limited-over series after a brilliant IPL 2020, will be added to the main squad in absence of limited options.
"With limited options available, the team management can ask for Natarajan to be added to the squad," the source said.
Umesh complained of pain in his calf while bowling his 4th over during day three of the Boxing Day Test. He was assessed by the BCCI medical team and has been taken for scans.
The right-arm pace bowler, who removed Aussie opener, Joe Burns, in just his second over, limped off the field after bowling the third delivery of his fourth over of Australia's innings.
Umesh did not take the field later for India, who are already missing Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, both of whom are in India due to injuries.
While Ishant did not make it to Australia as he could not fully recover from the abdominal muscle tear suffered during the Indian Premier League in time, Shami fractured his bowling arm after being hit by a Pat Cummins delivery during the third day's play in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval on December 19. Shami returned home last week and has been advised a six-week rest.
