Bhuvneshwar Kumar might play 3rd Test against Australia in Melbourne

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been down with an ankle injury 

According to reports, India seamer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, is on the road to recovery and there is a good chance of him playing in the Boxing Day Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The 24-year-old attended a training session at MCG and did not appear in any discomfort.

Bhuvneshwar had injured his ankle during a warm-up game and was ruled out of the first two Tests. While Dhawal Kulkarni flew in as back-up, Bhuvneshwar remained with the Indian team as he continued his rehabilitation.

On Tuesday, 23rd December 2014, Bhuvneshwar got a chance to bat in the nets along with other pacers, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav. Unfortunately, he couldn't test out his ankle with a ball in hand due to a light drizzle. The final call on his fitness will be taken just before the third Test starts.

Before the Test series started, there was considerable hype surrounding India's young pacers, Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami, as all three are reputed to bowl with a decent steam of pace. However, the margin for error on Australian decks is small and India need Bhuvneshwar to generate swing with the Kookaburra new ball.

Bhuvneshwar can generate prodigious swing with the new ball and just enough movement off the track to trouble the batsmen. The Uttar Pradesh seamer is also known to keep things tidy and skipper, MS Dhoni, has used him in long spells several times to cut down the run-flow.

If Bhuvneshwar, who did a fine job in the Test series against England, does take part in the third Test, it will come as a big boost for the Indian team. He is likely to replace Aaron, who was erratic in both Adelaide and Brisbane.