IND v AUS 2020: T Natarajan looking forward to more challenges in international cricket
Rising Indian cricket star T Natarajan received his maiden ODI cap on Wednesday in the third ODI against Australia at the Manuka Oval. The left-arm bowled an impressive 10-over spell, in which he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne and Ashton Agar.
Although T Natarajan had an economy rate of seven, his ability to take wickets during the powerplay helped the Men in Blue register a win in the final ODI of the series. The Sunrisers Hyderabad player shared his experience of playing his first international match on social media after the game.
"It was a surreal experience to represent the country. Thanks to everyone for your wishes. Looking forward to more challenges," T Natarajan wrote on Twitter.
T Natarajan is likely to receive his maiden T20I cap soon
After making his one-day international debut in Canberra, T Natarajan could also receive his first T20I cap this week. The Indian selectors included him in the T20I squad ahead of the tour as a replacement for Varun Chakravarthy. It is also pertinent to note that Natarajan earned a place in the ODI team as Navdeep Saini had some back problems.
The left-arm fast bowler has become quite popular among Indian fans because of his rags to riches story. The player also has the potential to become the next big thing in Indian cricket, and he got off to a fantastic start in the final ODI against the Aussies.
Before India's tour of Australia got underway, sources had hinted that the team management would rotate Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in the white-ball series. Shami did not feature in the third ODI at Manuka Oval, and he may also miss a few T20I matches because of squad rotation.
Similarly, Bumrah played in all three games of the ODI series against Australia. The Indian team management might consider resting him to keep his energy levels high for the ICC World Test Championship series. This could result in T Natarajan receiving another chance to represent India at the international level in the upcoming T20 series.