'I didn't have any disappointments' - T Natarajan on missing out from India's T20 World Cup squad

The left-arm seamer T Natarajan is all set to take the charge of the field for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the UAE leg of the IPL after recovering from a knee injury. He had sustained the injury during the Australia tour which became more serious whilst the first half of the IPL was in progress. However, Natarajan wouldn’t be a part of the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Earlier, India’s chief selector Chetan Sharma had asserted that there were discussions around Natarajan during the meeting but owing to his injury and lack of game time, he was not picked. Considering his injury and lack of recent match practice, Natarajan said that he himself didn’t expect to make it to the World Cup squad.

“I didn’t have any disappointments [at not being selected for the T20 World Cup]. I knew it was hard to reach there in a short period of time. A lot of people have told me that I would make the squad, but I didn’t expect to be picked in the 15-man squad. I knew I was coming back from injury; I hadn’t played competitive cricket for five or five-and-a-half months,” Natarajan told ESPNcricinfo.

If WC selection was after IPL, then I would have had a chance, feels Natarajan

Natarajan last played a competitive match for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai in April. Post that, his injury kept him away from the action. He also missed the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).

Taking these aspects into account, the seamer stated that if the selection for the World Cup would have been after the IPL he had a chance to make the cut. But with no match practice for months, he did not expect to be a part of the 15-man squad.

“If maybe the [World Cup] selection was after the IPL, I would have had a chance to make the squad. You can’t expect to be picked in the squad without match practice. I thought of at least going [to the World Cup] as a net bowler. I had ambitions of being a net bowler, but I didn’t expect to be in the 15 at all. My mindset was just to recover from the leg injury, play the IPL, and the rest will happen automatically,” Natarajan added.