SRH defeated DC at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, 20 April in the Indian Premier League. In a high-scoring game, T Natarajan bowled a sensational spell of 4-1-19-4 to put a halt to Delhi’s counter-attacking batting against the Pat Cummins side. Former India cricketer and SRH coach Hemang Badani lauded the left-arm seamer, who has fallen off the radar after a sensational rise in Indian cricket a few years ago.
In a match where over 450 runs were scored across two innings, Natarajan looked in deft touch, pinning his yorkers into the feet of the DC batters. The yorker made Natarajan famous in the IPL, but the pacer had lost his sheen due to multiple injuries. Badani took to Twitter after the game and lauded the nature of the pacer and said that he flew under the radar because he never talked about himself.
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Badani further added that Natarajan came from a difficult place and went through a lot en route his success in the cricketing world.
“And no one speaks of it.. he wouldn’t too.. Few are like him. So proud and happy for him. Only when one speaks to him would they know what he’s gone thru. Not my place to speak about it but all I can say is you are an inspiration,” Badani wrote on Twitter.
T NATARAJAN’S INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEY
Thangarasu Natarajan, the eldest of five children, hails from a humble background where his father earned a living as a daily-wage worker in a saree manufacturing unit and his mother sold snacks at a roadside stall. Growing up in such challenging circumstances, Natarajan and his family faced significant financial hardships, often struggling to afford basic educational supplies like notebooks and pencils for his schooling at a government institution.
Despite these challenges, Natarajan’s cricketing journey began with playing tennis ball cricket until he was 20 years old. His life took a significant turn in 2011 when he met Jayaprakash, who would become his mentor and guiding force. Recognising Natarajan’s potential, Jayaprakash introduced him to competitive cricket by facilitating his entry into the TNCA 4th division in Chennai. In honour of his mentor, Natarajan donned the shirt name ‘JP Nattu’ during the IPL 2020, paying tribute to the man who played a pivotal role in his early career.
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Natarajan’s professional cricket debut came in 2015 when he played his first first-class match. However, his journey faced a setback when he was reported for a suspect bowling action. Undeterred, Natarajan worked diligently with seasoned players from Tamil Nadu to remodel his action, eventually making a successful return to the sport.
His breakthrough came in 2016 during the inaugural Tamil Nadu Premier League, where his exceptional skill in delivering yorkers caught the attention of IPL scouts. This exposure led to his acquisition by PBKS in 2017 for Rs. 3 crore, although he only played six games and took two wickets that season. Despite a lukewarm start, his fortunes improved when SRH signed him for Rs. 40 lakh ahead of the 2018 IPL season. Initially, he did not see much play, but a strong performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he claimed 13 wickets in 11 matches, paved the way for his return to the IPL spotlight.
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