Australia opener David Warner has congratulated Sunrisers Hyderabad team-mate T. Natarajan for being included in India’s Test squad for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar series.
Natarajan, 30, replaced Umesh Yadav , who returned to India after sustaining a strain in his left calf muscle during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. “I think it’s [being included in Test squad] a great reward for Natarajan,” Warner told reporters on Saturday. “Given the fact that he came here (Australia) as a net bowler and had to miss the birth of his child, it’s a big achievement.”
Natarajan stayed on in Australia with the squad after a successful debut in ODIs and T20Is. He took eight wickets (two in ODIs and six in T20Is) in his four limited-overs appearances.
'Very good bowler'
However, Natarajan has featured in just 20 first-class games for Tamil Nadu, picking 64 wickets. But Warner feels the left-arm seamer has the wherewithal to do well in Test cricket.
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“He is a very good bowler and I got to see that when I captained him in the IPL... so if he does get that opportunity (Test debut), we know he is comfortable and he will know what he has to do,” he said.
“I’m not too sure [if he is ready for rigours of Test cricket]. That said, I know he has the line and length to do that. I know a fair bit about Mohammed Siraj and how well he has gone in Ranji Trophy... So, given his debut and how he went, I think Nattu will be capable of doing the same.”
If Natarajan makes his debut in either Sydney or Brisbane, he will be the first left-arm pacer since Zaheer Khan to play Test cricket for India. Zaheer played his last Test in Wellington in February, 2014.
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