India and Tamil Nadu pacer T Natarajan was instrumental in India’s memorable victory at Gabba, Brisbane during the 2020-21 Australia tour. However, he has not featured in a first-class match since then.
Although initially viewed as a promising all-format bowler, Natarajan’s career has been marred by recurring injuries. Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently commented on why Natarajan has been excluded from the Duleep Trophy squads.
Ashwin attributed Natarajan’s absence to ongoing injury issues that have hindered his performance in both red-ball and white-ball cricket. These frequent injuries have led to Natarajan falling behind in selection, as other talented bowlers have moved ahead in the pecking order.
Ravichandran Ashwin reasons what led to T Natarajan’s ouster from Duleep Trophy 2024
While speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin spoke about the curious case of T Natarajan. Ashwin reckoned that Natarajan hasn’t been able to keep himself fit enough whenever he has been picked.
Ashwin further added that Natarajan needs to play red-ball cricket for Tamil Nadu to be picked for the Duleep Trophy.
“I feel Natarajan is a fantastic white-ball bowler. He did well in IPL this year. His last first-class match was Australia vs India at Brisbane on January 15th in 2021. He has not put himself on the park for the last 3 years. He is broken down when he’s picked and he is not played. We are backing him a lot,” Ashwin said.
“I like Natarajan a lot. He is a very good guy. But, just for the sake of it, I won’t say it today. If Natarajan played red-ball cricket and made it to Tamil Nadu, I will say that he should play there,” he added.
T Natarajan’s poor fitness history
Natarajan’s inconsistent fitness has prevented him from handling the demands of red-ball cricket effectively. Despite this, he remains a key player for Tamil Nadu in white-ball formats, particularly in T20 cricket, where his death-over bowling skills are highly valued.
Since undergoing knee surgery in 2021, Natarajan has had limited opportunities in red-ball cricket. Although he was included in Tamil Nadu’s Ranji Trophy squad last season, he did not feature in any of the matches.
T Natarajan’s IPL 2024 season
Natarajan had a standout performance in the IPL this year, despite playing on batting-friendly pitches. In the 2024 season, he took 19 wickets in 14 matches, with an average of 24.47 and an economy rate of 9.06, making him the top wicket-taker for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
At 33, Natarajan is now focused on making an impact in other white-ball tournaments, such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy later this year. He has consistently performed well in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).
