He also wants Natarajan to stay back in Australia for the Test matches.
2011 World Cup-winning India spinner Harbhajan Singh was delighted with the phenomenal performance by debutant fast bowler T Natarajan in the limited-overs series against Australia. He also showered rich praise on the seamer.
Natarajan has impressed one and all while stealing the show first with his brilliant ODI debut then playing a key role in the Indian cricket team’s 2-1 series win over Australia.
The 29-year-old was first named as a net bowler and then came on the tour as an injury replacement for Varun Chakravarthy for the T20Is but luckily, he got the chance in both ODI and T20I series and the seamer grabbed his chance with both hands and finished as India’s find of the Australia tour.
Natarajan had taken 2 wickets in his maiden ODI match, while finished as the highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded T20I series with 6 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.91 in Australia.
Praising Natarajan for his impressive outing on his debut tour and even in Australia, Harbhajan has pointed out that the fast bowler has the potential to become a key member of Team India in the future.
Harbhajan told India Today: “Yes, he was phenomenal. Credit to him, going out there as a replacement and showing what he is made of. And the kind of performances he has put.”
He further added, “You know he showed that he has got a lot of potentials and moving forward he is gonna be one key member of the Indian team. I am very happy and delighted to see him perform the way he has performed.”
The cricketer also suggested that Natarajan should stay back in Australia for the upcoming Test series in order to have him some time with the Test squad to learn and help tourists in nets, as he feels practicing with the left-arm seamer will help Team India to better prepare to face Mitchell Starc.
He signed off, “I am sure he is gonna become better. The more he is gonna play, the more he is gonna get better. I wish him all the luck. I wish you know if he can stay back for the Test matches as well just to learn while you are being around the Test team. Rather than sending him back, let him be with the team and bowl at the nets. Because they have got Starc and other bowlers who are left-arm seamers.”