‘A proud moment to wear the white jersey’ – T Natarajan tweets a picture in whites

The ongoing tour of Australia keeps getting better and better for India’s new bowling sensation T Natarajan. It won’t be wrong to compare his start in international cricket with a fairytale. Just a couple of months ago, the left-arm pacer was nowhere in the picture to play for India as he was picked in the team as a net bowler.

Following his impressive display in IPL 2020, the selectors picked him as a net bowler for the ongoing tour. But destiny had something else planned for him. He went on to be included in the T20I and ODIs squads after injuries to other players and also made his debut. On his ODI debut, he picked up two wickets before impressing in the T20Is.

Showing fine skills in the death overs, Natarajan picked up six wickets in the T20I series, which India won 3-1. He constantly troubled the batsmen with his pinpoint yorkers, something he evidently displayed in the IPL. Such was his performance in the series that the Player of the Series Hardik Pandya gave his award to him.

Beginning of a Test

If destiny continues to smile on Natarajan, he could well be in line to make his Test debut on this tour. The 29-year old has already been included in the squad after a calf injury ruled Umesh Yadav out of the series. Umesh suffered the injury while bowling in the second innings of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

And while only time will tell whether Natarajan makes his debut in Tests or not, he got a taste of what it is to wear the Test whites. The pacer, on Tuesday, took to Twitter to post a picture of himself in the Test whites as he said he is ready for the next challenge.

A proud moment to wear the white jersey ?? Ready for the next set of challenges ??#TeamIndia @BCCI pic.twitter.com/TInWJ9rYpU

— Natarajan (@Natarajan_91) January 5, 2021

Meanwhile, reports have suggested that Shardul Thakur is likely to get the nod ahead of Natarajan for the third Test. Shardul is more experienced than Natarajan in the red-ball format which has tilted the balance in his favour. As far as the series is concerned, it is currently locked at 1-1 with two Tests to go.