Australia opener David Warner, who has captained Thangarasu Natarajan in the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad, is excited for his Test call-up. But he is “not hundred percent sure” if the left-arm seamer can be a consistent performer in Test cricket.
Natarajan has had an incredible journey to the top so far. He was nowhere in the reckoning for an international call-up. But after a hugely successful IPL, he joined the Indian contingent as a net bowler for the tour of Australia.
But as luck had it he was subsequently handed his ODI and T20 International debuts and is now set to make his mark in the longest format of the game after three of India’s premier pacers got injured.
Asked if Natarajan can translate his T20 success in the Test match arena, his IPL franchise captain gave an interesting reply.
“Good question but I am not too sure. You guys would be knowing his (Natarajan) Ranji Trophy stats and how he delivers day in and day out.
“I know he has line and lengths to do that, but obviously, back to back overs in a Test match? I am not a hundred percent sure,” Warner said during a virtual news conference on Saturday.
However, Warner added that just like Mohammed Siraj, who has shown his wares in red ball cricket at the first-class level, Natarajan would be able to do the same.
“I know a fair bit about Siraj and how well he has gone in Ranji Trophy, him backing up with repeated amount of overs. Given how his (Siraj’s debut) debut went, I am hopeful, Nattu will be able to do the same if he is included in that Test squad,” Warner said.
“I think it’s a great reward for Nattu. I think given that he was coming over here after missing the birth of his child to be a net bowler and then being injected into the actual squad is a great achievement for him and congratulations to him.
“He is a very, very good bowler and I got to see that and captain him for Sunrisers Hyderabad. I wish him all the best and if he does get that opportunity, we know he will be comfortable and will know what he has to do.”
Natarajan replaced Umesh Yadav in the Indian squad for the last two Tests against Australia, announced BCCI in a release on Friday.
Meanwhile, Warner informed that he was still unsure and “highly doubtful” if he would be 100 per cent fit for the third Test against India in Sydney, beginning next week.
However, the explosive opener, who was named in the squad after he sat out the first two Tests and the complete T20I series against India with a groin injury, confirmed that he would like to play even if he was not completely fit.
“We’ve got a training session today and tomorrow so I can’t give you any more indication of where I’m at. Am I going to be 100 per cent? Highly doubtful,” Warner told media on Saturday.