Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that left-arm pacer T Natarajan can be a big hope for the Indian Cricket Team the way he has started his Test career when it comes to having a left-arm pacer in their bowling arsenal, but said the bowler needed to do a lot of work on his “angle and rhythm”.
India’s pace attack has improved tremendously over the last few years and is now rated as one of best in the world, but it still lacks a quality left-arm pacer and Natarajan can be the one and Pathan said having a left-arm bowler in the team is an added advantage for any team.
Pathan, being a left-armer himself, knows the angle of a left-armer's delivery can be disturbing for the batsmen but he feels Natarajan had to do a lot of work on his bowling as well as fitness for sustained success in the longest format of the game.
From being just a net bowler, the 29-year-old had a fabulous start to his career, creating history by becoming the first Indian player to debut in all three formats on the same tour – Australia.
He impressed all on his red-ball debut at The Gabba – where he took 3 wickets to help India win the game by 3 wickets and won the four-Test series 2-1 against Australia.
Pathan said during his visit to an exhibition match at the CC&FC Ground: “I always say that left is right. A left-arm bowler is an added advantage for any team as he brings variation in your attack creating a different angle for the batsmen.”
He further pointed out: “He has to do a lot in Tests, work on his angle and rhythm. The good thing about him is that he has got repetitive action. But he will need to bring his body more behind his delivery at the time of release as that will help him bring the ball into a batsman.
His initial aim should now be on playing for the country for the next five-seven years and for that he must focus on his fitness. He should continue doing what he has in his armor and slowly learn more while playing. I am sure the team management will also work with him to make him a better product.”
On the upcoming India-England Test series, Pathan signed off by saying: “The England series is also going to be an exciting one. They have a quality attack and if all the English pacers like Jofra Archer, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and others remain fit for the whole series, it will be a good challenge between the bat and the ball.”
(With Times of India Inputs)
