Why Did BCCI Go Beyond T Natarajan For India's Test Set-Up?

T Natarajan reveals temporary quitting Test cricket (X.com)T Natarajan reveals temporary quitting Test cricket (X.com)

India's left-arm pacer T Natarajan, who rose to stardom after playing a crucial role in India's historic Test series win in Australia in 2021, is now facing a challenging situation as workload management forces him to avoid Test cricket. 

T Natarajan made his Test debut in January 2021 in the final match of India's famous series win against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. His unexpected inclusion in the playing XI came after several frontline Indian bowlers were ruled out due to injury.

Despite the pressure, Natarajan performed admirably, picking up key wickets and helping India seal one of their most memorable Test series victories.

Natarajan shares his painful journey battling injuries

However, the intense workload of playing across formats, combined with his history of injuries, has forced Natarajan to reconsider his future in Test cricket. As India gears up for the upcoming 2024-25 Border Gavaskar series, T Natarajan made a painful admission. 

He revealed that following Test debut in 2021, he is yet to play a first class red ball game. The 33-year-old, who struggled with multiple injuries, confessed that a heavier workload is taking a toll on his knees. 

"It has been almost four years since I played red-ball cricket. It is not that I do not want to play red-ball cricket, but I feel that it makes my workload heavier. Right now, I am avoiding red-ball cricket. When the workload is heavy, I am having issues on my knee. So, I have stopped playing," he said.

Hence, despite having an immense passion for Test cricket, he is forced to avoid the format completely in the near future. However, Natarajan is optimistic about a future return by proper training. 

"I love red-ball cricket more than white-ball cricket. If things go to plan, I will play after a few years. If I train well for the next two years, there are chances for me to return," Natarajan added.

Notably, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj are expected to lead India's pace attack in Australia as Mohammed Shami's fitness status remains uncertain.

T Natarajan Bossed IPL 2024 With SRH

While red-ball cricket is out of his reach, T Natarajan is making the most of his white-ball format exposure. He played IPL 2024 with finalist Sunrisers Hyderabad and in a batter-dominant tournament, the pacer scalped 19 wickets in 14 matches.

 T Natarajan's best figures were 4/19 and he bowled at a 9.06 economy. The left arm pace also made a brief appearance in the TNPL 2024 season with IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans and fetched 12 wickets in the initial 7 games.