Vijay Hazare Trophy: TNCA releases T Natarajan from squad on BCCI's request to keep him fresh for England white-ball series

Chennai: India's newest pace sensation T Natarajan has been released from the Tamil Nadu squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy ODI competition as the BCCI wants him to stay fresh for the limited-overs series against England next month, a top TNCA official said on Thursday.

"The BCCI and the Indian team management wanted Natarajan to be fresh for the white ball leg of the series against England. Keeping the Indian team's interests in mind we said yes," Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) secretary RS Ramasaamy told PTI.

RS Jaganath Sinivas will take Natarajan's place in the 20-member squad which will leave for Indore on 13 February.

Natarajan was earlier included in a 20-man Tamil Nadu squad for the tournament beginning 20 February. Tamil Nadu had recently won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Ahmedabad.

The first of the five T20 Internationals against England will be played on 12 March in Ahmedabad while the first ODI will take place in Pune on 23 March.

The Tamil Nadu chief of selectors S Vasudevan also confirmed the development and said Natarajan has been released from the Vijay Hazare Trophy squad.

Natarajan had become the first Indian cricketer to make his international debut across all three formats during the tour of Australia.

He played in the series-clinching Brisbane Test after making his maiden T20I and ODI appearances earlier on the tour.