5* + 7 S 4 5 &'( )'*+ his Test debut against West Indies ended abruptly due to ='807&' acer Umesh Yadav was on injury even before he could PThursday ruled out of the bowl an over. He has been struggling Australia are remainder of the series against shaping up well and might prepared to risk playing Q-00 Australia due to the calf injury replace Umesh in the playing Aseasoned opener David he sustained during the XI.” Warner in the third Test against Melbourne match and the The final call will be taken India even if he is not 100% fit, Indian team management is by the head coach Ravi Shastri, assistant coach Andrew R likely to prefer Shardul Thakur stand-in skipper Ajinkya McDonald said on Thursday. over left-arm pace sensation T Rahane and bowling coach In the absence of Warner, ='807&' “We do know with the Natarajan for the third Test. Bharath Arun after reaching who was recovering from a groin history that Will has had, and According to sources, Sydney. muscle tear, Australia’s batting ill Puckovski’s history of with my time with him at senior pacer Yadav, who missed Shardul has so far played failed miserably in the first two Wbouncing back strongly Victoria. He had a pretty good the third Test due to a calf 62 first class games and has 206 matches. from concussion-induced track record of performing muscle tear, is heading home wickets to show for his efforts. “That’s a real, clear option. breaks gives Australia assistant when he has returned,” for rehabilitation. Another aspect that India He may not be 100 per cent fit — coach Andrew McDonald McDonald was quoted as say- The third Test begins in would like to address ahead of who is coming off an injury? You confidence that the young ing by Australian Associated Sydney from January 7. the Third Test is a long tail that never know until you get out opener will not have trouble in Press (AAP). “Umesh will have to go for has affected the team. there,” McDonald said. scoring runs if drafted into “I think the selectors will an extensive rehab. He has left Shardul has six first class “Look, if he’s 90-95% fit and playing XI. put a bit of trust put into the for India,” a BCCI half centuries and during his the conversation is that he's fit Pucovski, who was player around whether he’s source privy to stint with the national team in enough to be able to go out there primed to make debut in year-old's ninth concussion, mentally ready. And clearly it developments white ball games, he has proved and perform his duties for the Adelaide, was ruled out of the not all from cricket. He has will be up to the coach once in Australia to be a decent batsman. team, then I’m sure that’ll be a first two Tests after being hit now been included in the he lays eyes on him to see told PTI on “Obviously the next conversation the coach has with on the head in the first warm- squad for the remainder of the where he’s at in terms of being Thursday. few training sessions the player. up game. That was the 22- series. skill ready. “While peo- will be important “Most times Justin (Langer) ple are excited and that’s why the is pretty open with the players in back. have a little bit of depth out there.” Rajasthan Royals and there's about the final call is likely terms of giving them accountabil- “I’m sure that he’s excited to One of the biggest setbacks nothing to suggest that there’s a brilliant to be taken in ity around that.” come back into the group as well. for the Aussies so far has been a link there. progress Sydney,” the Warner has been named in There’s nothing worse than being rare slump in form for batting “I’m sure ideally you would shown by T source said. As far as Yadav the squad along with Victorian injured when you are at the top mainstay Steve Smith, who has so prefer to be with your family Natarajan, is concerned, he is expected young gun Will Pucovski for the of your game as David has been far scored only 10 runs in four around Christmas time and we mustn't to head off to National third Test as Australia look to over a period of time.” innings in the series. Justin addressed that. Some play- forget he has played Cricket Academy in bounce back from the eight- Pucovski, too, is set for a “I wouldn’t be too quick to ers and staff members unfortu- only one first class Bengaluru for extensive wicket loss in the Boxing Day potential debut after the young- be judging Steve Smith not look- nately are going to be disconnect- match for Tamil rehab programme. Test here. ster suffered a concussion in the ing good in the middle. He ed from family during Christmas Nadu. And Shardul The 33-year-old McDonald said Warner is first warm-up match against the looks pretty solid and hitting the time, less than ideal there’s no has been a sea- had hobbled off optimistic about making a come- Indians earlier this month. ball well at the nets,” McDonald doubt. soned domestic red the field after back in Sydney. “He will be put through said. “Yeah, it’s a challenge to ball pacer for suffering the “He’s (Warner) very opti- tests whatever it needs to be put Asked if life in a bio-bubble rebound. The world’s best play- Mumbai,” the source injury during mistic that he should be ready to through to make himself avail- was affecting Smith, he said: “No, ers usually rebound. He’s (Smith) added. the third day go, which is a great news for us. able for selection to potentially none whatsoever. Obviously we in a really good space to be hon- “Shardul was real- of the Boxing We are really excited to have him P B % open the batting. So it’s good to worked closely at UAE with the est, come Sydney Test.” ly unfortunate that Day Test. ( !$" #8 )78,+ opening the innings, while Siraj fin- lowing his hauls of three for 35 bowlers. ished with five wickets in the match. and two for 35 in Tauranga. For Sri Lanka, Dinesh ndia captain Virat Kohli held on India's batting mainstay For Pakistan, Fawad Chandimal's knocks of 85 and Ito his second position while Cheteshwar Pujara's lack of form Alam's valiant second-innings 25 have lifted him three places stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane saw him lose two spots to slip to the century has lifted him 80 to 38th while Dhananjaya de broke into the top 10 after gaining 10th place. places to 102nd position while Silva (up nine places to 34th) five places in the latest ICC men's Australia left-arm fast bowler wicketkeeper Mohammad and Kusal Perera (up four Test batting ranking released on Mitchell Starc's four wickets in the Rizwan's scores of 71 and 60 places to 60th) have also made Thursday. match helped him reach a career have helped him advance 27 notable gains among batsmen. 2 9 Rahane climbed to the sixth best-equalling fifth position. places to a career-best 47th Left-arm fast bowler spot after scoring 112 and 27 not out Matthew Wade's scores of 30 position. Vishwa Fernando has gained to inspire India's eight-wicket series- and 40 as opener helped him reach Left-arm fast bowler two slots to reach 45th posi- levelling win in the second Test 50th among batsmen from 55th, Shaheen Afridi has moved tion after his three-wicket , against Australia in Melbourne. It is while Cameron Green gained 36 from 35th to 33rd after grab- haul. just one below his career-best rank- slots to reach 115th position. bing four wickets in the first In the ICC Test team rank- ='807&' squad took a brief two- ing of fifth attained in October last New Zealand captain Kane innings. ings, New Zealand are in line day break after India’s year. Williamson, meanwhile, ended the In Centurion, a knock of to wrest the top spot from oining the Indian team fine win in the second Off-spinner Ravichandran year at the top position after he 199 by Faf du Plessis saw him Australia, Jafter completing his Test at MCG. Ashwin, too, was rewarded for his dethroned Australia's Steve Smith, not only win the player of the who remain fractionally mandatory 14-day quar- The 33-year-old five-wicket haul at the MCG as he who slipped to the third spot after match award but also gain 14 ahead since the Test team antine, star batsman Rohit Mumbaikar, who had gained two places to the seventh managing scores of 0 and 8 in the places to reach 21st position, rankings are updated only at Sharma on Thursday missed the limited-overs spot, while pacer Jasprit Bumrah two innings at MCG. one behind team-mate Dean the end of each series. went through his first series as well as the first rose to the ninth position. Williamson, who had briefly Elgar, who too gained four Even a draw in the second practice session in two Tests against Ravindra Jadeja, who scored a occupied the top spot towards the spots after a knock of 95. Test against Pakistan could see Australia under the Australia due to a ham- crucial 57 and captured three wick- end of 2015, was rewarded for his Lungi Ngidi gained four New Zealand take the top watchful eyes of batting string injury that he sus- ets in the second Test, remained at player of the match effort in the first places and is 56th among spot.