The Duleep Trophy absence of T Natarajan is justified by Ravichandran Ashwin

During the forthcoming Duleep Trophy, which is scheduled to start on September 5, the absence of T Natarajan was warranted by legendary spinner R Ashwin. Due to fitness problems, the 33-year-old pacer hasn’t played red-ball cricket and is currently significantly lower in the pecking order. However, in white-ball cricket, the player has been fantastic for Tamil Nadu, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans.

When T Natarajan made his debut in 2020 against Australia, he was predicted to become one of India’s next great pace sensations.

But as he played his final Test match against Australia in 2021, injuries severely hindered his career. He then represented India in white-ball cricket for a short while before missing several months of action.

With 19 wickets in the IPL 2024, Natarajan enabled Hyderabad to make it to the championship game. His twelve wickets in the TNPL helped Tiruppur reach the playoffs. In the meantime, BCCI rejected Natarajan’s candidature for the Duleep Trophy despite his recent achievements. The pacer is an excellent white-ball bowler, but it wouldn’t make sense for him to compete in the competition since he hasn’t played enough red-ball cricket, Ashwin explained.

“I think Natarajan bowls a fantastic white ball.” This season, he performed admirably in the IPL. Australia vs. India in Brisbane on January 15, 2021, was his final first-class match. For the past three years, he has not gone to the park by himself. When he is selected but not used, he collapses. We are fully behind him. My favourite is Natarajan. He is an excellent man. For the purpose of argument, though, I won’t say it now. Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel, “I will definitely say that Natarajan should play there if he played red-ball cricket and made it to Tamil Nadu.”

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Interestingly, Natarajan was included in the Tamil Nadu team for the Ranji Trophy following his knee operation, but the speedster was unable to get a spot in the starting lineup. For him, the next round of domestic cricket would be crucial since it may be the Indian team’s last chance.