Tami Nadu pacer T Natarajan impressed one and all during his IPL 2020 outing for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Natarajan was the 10th highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded 13th edition of the cash rich league. The 29-year-old bowled some breathtaking yorkers, leaving fans and greats of the game in awe.
T Natarajan got awarded for his good performances and was selected to travel with the Indian contingent to Australia as a net bowler. Later, the exclusion of Varun Chakravarthy because of an shoulder injury came as a blessing in disguise for him as that led to his inclusion in T20I squad of the Men in Blue.
Now, India great VVS Laxman has heaped rich praises for him and backed him to play for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup next year. Laxman has reckoned that the TNPL star can be India’s X-factor in the death overs. Laxman also recalled Natarajan’s yorker which castled South African star AB de Villiers, adding that he did not use many of his variations in the tournament.
“With the T20 World Cup scheduled next year – if you look at the Indian team, it requires someone good at the death. It is great to see the likes of Mohammed Shami and Navdeep Saini bowl with such confidence in the death. Natarajan being a left-armer will be the X-factor.
“Natarajan was always known for those yorkers – even in the TNPL. But, I must say he got a lot of variations which he didn’t use in the IPL. He has a sharp bouncer, slower one, off-cutter and has the wicket taking ability with the new ball,” Laxman explained.
“Essentially, Natarajan has the mindset and the confidence of executing yorkers which we generally believe to be the toughest to deliver. And, he has done consistently and exceedingly well through the IPL, the pick of them being the dismissal of RCB’s AB de Villiers under pressure,” Laxman told Sportstar.
The first T20I between India and Australia will be played on December 4.
