Left-arm pacer T Natarajan’s international started on a memorable note. With first being picked only as a net bowler for the Australia tour, he replaced Varun Chakravarthy in the T20I squad, and then multiple injuries led to him making his debut across all three formats down under.
T Natarajan Injured
However, apart from memories and rich experience, Natarajan also reportedly ended up picking a knee injury from the tour which he carried into IPL 2021 where after playing just two matches for his franchise (Sunrisers Hyderabad), the pacer opted out of the season to undergo surgery in April this year.
Currently, he’s undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy and is targeting a return at IPL 2021 when it resumes in UAE after being suspended in the first week of May due to coronavirus outbreak inside the various franchisee bubbles.
“I am progressing well after the surgery. I have started training slowly. I will start bowling at full tilt in the nets by the end of this month. My focus right now is on recovering fully and returning by the time the IPL restarts,” Natarajan told The New Indian Express.
“The fact that the IPL got suspended when it did has turned out to be a good thing in the end. None of it was in my hands of course,” he added.
While IPL is the immediate focus, getting picked for the T20 World Cup, also to be played in UAE, remains the bigger goal for the 30-year-old even though he’s not too much worried about it.
“I am not thinking about the T20 World Cup right now,” said Natarajan. “I am thinking more about my recovery. If I do well in the IPL, the chance to be selected for the T20 World Cup will come on its own. That is my belief. But for that, my recovery needs to be spot on.”
