IND vs AUS: 'I prefer Shardul over Natarajan and Saini'

With Umesh adding to India's growing list of injured players forced to opt out of the series, Shardul will be among the top contenders to join the playing eleven against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, scheduled to be played this week.

Hyderabad: Shardul Thakur should join the Indian team as the third pacer, his childhood coach Dinesh Lad said, reflecting on his past performances for India A in Australia and Ranji Trophy in the last three years with the red-ball.

"He gets good movement and has got a good outswing. Shardul has already played in Australia and performed well for India A team, so he has got that experience to play in Australian conditions. Hence, there is a high chance of success against the Australian batsmen," Lad said.

After losing seasoned Ishant Sharma (before the series) and Mohammad Shami (after the first Test), India went with their third pacer Umesh Yadav in the first and second Test match. But the team suffered another blow after Yadav limped off the field at Melbourne Cricket Ground. The 33-year-old bowler was then ruled out of the series after scans revealed that he had sustained a calf muscle injury.

T Natarajan, Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur are in contention for the third Test match at Sydney.

Asked who he would have preferred, Lad said, "You have put me in a spot here (laughs) since Shardul is my student. You have asked a very difficult question. I will always say Shardul since he is my student but it's completely upto the management. But, in all practicality, Shardul has done really well with the red ball in domestic cricket. He has picked plenty of wickets in the Ranji Trophy in the last three years with the red ball. He was always good with the red ball and has made a good comeback with white ball as well. I would want Shardul to be included in India's playing eleven."

However, the coach has his reasons for including Shardul in the team. "He gets good movement and has got a good outswing. He is bowling at 140 kmph and has got a good swing. He has got both pace and movement which is essential for a fast bowler. Chances of success increase manifold if a bowler has both these traits."

After winning the second match, India will look to keep the wheels turning and momentum going, and much will depend on the team's bowlers' show against the mighty but out-of-form Australian batting line-up.

The third Test match starts at 5 am (IST) on January 7th at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

--Ayushmaan Pandey