Midway through the TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League) match between Lyca Kovai Kings and Dindigul Dragons on Sunday, the crowd at the Salem Cricket Foundation ground went berserk, with loud cheers ringing across the venue.
The rousing reception was not for a boundary or a wicket but for the fact that the big screen at the ground showed T. Natarajan walking into the venue for his team Ba11sy Trichy’s match later in the day against iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans.
Hailing from a small town in Salem district, Natarajan has put this town on the cricketing map with his exploits in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and for India.
So, it was a momentous occasion for the fans in this part of the State to see the son of the soil play in front of his home crowd for the first time.
Salem joined the cricketing map last year, hosting the TNPL in 2022, but the left-arm pacer missed out as he was recovering from a knee injury.
A small section of the gallery had fans from his town Chinnappampatti enjoying the game in high spirits. Decked in the green jersey of the Trichy team, fans had come prepared with percussion instruments, playing them continuously while a few others danced to their heart’s content.
Natarajan family watching TNPL in Salem. | Photo Credit: TNPL
Coming from a humble background - his dad was a weaver while his mother ran a small food stall in their hometown - Natarajan’s story is the classic tale of sport empowering not just one person or family but a community.
Two days ago, the 32-year-old, who has had a few multi-crore deals in the IPL over the last six years, opened the Natarajan Cricket Ground to give opportunities to talents from this part of the country, something he never had while growing up the ladder.
Speaking to the host broadcaster, Natarajan’s mother, Shanta, said, “I have never seen him play cricket in person before this. Even though I know nothing about the game, I see every game he plays till the end on television. Even his father had seen him play only locally, but this is the first time we are seeing him play on such a big stage.”
On the inauguration of the new facility, his father Thangarasu added, “In our hometown, we have only a few school grounds where he learnt the game. So, he wanted to ensure we have a proper ground so that many more can progress through the game.”
Natarajan made his First-Class debut for Tamil Nadu in 2014-15 but was immediately called for suspect action. His career got back on track following a fruitful outing in the first year of TNPL in 2016, leading to his first IPL contract.
On a balmy Sunday evening, life came full circle for the boy from Chinnappampatti in Salem district, who played his first match on home soil as India’s 300th Test cricketer in a tournament that changed his life’s fortunes.
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