Former India batsman and Sunrisers Hyderabad mentor, VVS Laxman has praised SRH’s star performer with the ball in IPL 2020, Thangarasu Natarajan. He feels that the left-arm pacer will be the X-factor as India face Australia with the T20 World Cup in less than a year.
Speaking to The Hindu, Laxman said, “I am not surprised by his selection for the Australian tour, for which he was originally named as a net bowler. Being a left-armer, Natarajan will be the X-factor. Probably that is the reason the selectors wanted him and drafted him as a full-time member of the squad.”
Natarajan was part of the Sunrisers squad that finished third this season in the IPL, making it to the playoffs with a sheer brilliant display in the last few league stage games. The 29-year old took 16 wickets in 16 games and was the second-highest wicket-taker for the franchise after Rashid Khan (20).
He also bowled a staggering 76 yorkers during the season. The second-highest number attained by any bowler during a single season. Second only to the great Lasith Malinga.
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Talking about his knack for yorkers, Laxman said, “Natarajan has been known for sending down the yorkers very well. But I must say he has got a lot of variations which he didn’t use in the IPL. He has the sharp bouncer, slower one, off-cutter and wicket-taking ability with the new ball.”
He further added, “Natarajan really works hard and executes the defensive deliveries very well. Earlier, he didn’t get too many opportunities because the team had the likes of Siddharth Kaul, B. Sandeep, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the frontline bowlers.”
Owing to his success in the UAE, BCCI selected Natarajan for the three-match T20I squad in Australia.
“I am sure he will succeed against the Aussies after the way he performed in the IPL, which is like any international tournament featuring the best from across the world. He will do well if he reads the surface and bowls the right line and length,” said Laxman.