File photo of T Natarajan.
T Natarajan meteoric rise in international cricket has surprised many. From consistently bowling yorkers in the IPL 2020 for Sunrisers Hyderabad to stepping in to play a crucial role in India's historic win over Australia at their bastion Gabba, Natarajan's life took a turn for the good in the last five months.
However, the transition from bowling four-over spell in T20s to bowling 20 overs in a day in Test cricket is not done overnight and endurance is always going to be the key is something 29-year-old left-handed pacer had learnt since his Test debut, where he retained three wickets in 39 overs he bowled in Brisbane.
And back in his hometown after the gruelling series that India won 2-1, Natarajan revealed that Team India have urged him to work on his endurance in order to be a more competent Test bowler.
"They want me to work on my endurance. They seem to be happy with my skills. Red-ball cricket is a test of endurance," he told New Indian Express.
Natarajan added that he also needs to work on his pace as it dropped during the Brisbane Test.
"From IPL to the limited-overs series in Australia, I was clocking 135 kmph consistently. The pace, however, reduced a bit in the Test. I think it’s because of endurance," he said.
The bowler also added that sharing a past relationship wit Indian bowling coach Bharati Arun, popularly known as Bharat Arun, also helped him adjust easily with the challenges of international cricket.
I’ve worked with him even at Chemplast (while playing for the TNCA league). In Australia, I worked on numerous areas and his inputs were crucial. He was someone whom I knew well and was able to ask questions freely. He would share his inputs on how to bowl during a particular situation and how one can be more effective. Before every match, we would discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition and there was no change to that," he explained.
