T Natarajan bids emotional adieu to IPL 2021 after injury
The bumpy journey of the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 14th edition of the IPL has received another blow as their promising pacer, T Natarajan has been ruled out of the tournament due to a recurring knee injury. David Warner’s men made one of the worst starts to their campaign, losing three games in a row before they finally set the ball rolling with a comprehensive 9-wicket victory over Punjab Kings. Natarajan was a part of the fixtures against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
He had a stellar 2020 edition in the league, following which his fortunes changed upside down as he earned a maiden call-up in the national team. Initially included as a net bowler for the Australian tour, Natarajan went on to make one debut after another to become the only Indian who has made debuts in all three formats of the sport on the same tour.
In his two-match IPL 2021 stint, the 30-year-old could manage only two wickets and will now undergo knee surgery as a treatment for the injury.
T Natarajan’s emotional adieu
Thanking his SRH team members, Natarajan wished them the best before leaving the team and expressed his sadness about missing the remainder of the season.
“Hi, this is Natarajan. I’m sad to miss the remaining games in this year’s IPL. Since I played well last year and went on to play for India, my expectations were high. Unfortunately, I will have to undergo knee surgery and will miss this season.”
“Thank you to the SRH family – support staff and players. They supported and motivated me a lot. I’m going to miss the SRH family this season. I have no words to say right now. I wish Sunrisers to go out and win every game this season. Best wishes,” he said.
His exit has shifted the spotlight on the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru, where the pacer underwent rehabilitation earlier. Some latest reports suggest that he never fully recovered and was rushed to make a comeback, which has aggravated the issue and he might be out of action for much longer as a result.
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