T Natarajan excited to be bowling alongside Bhuvneshwar at SRH

Hailing from Tamil Nadu left-arm pacer Thangarasu Natarajan was picked by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 at his base price of INR 40 lakhs. Last year, he had bagged a contract with the Kings XI Punjab for a whopping INR 3 crore. However, he failed to justify that huge price tag with his performance.

This time around, Natarajan will be raring to prove his point. Snapped by SRH that arguably possesses the best line-up of Indian fast bowlers, he will have a chance to bowl alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sandeep Sharma. Natarajan expressed his excitement to be playing for the Hyderabad franchise as he vowed to give his 100 per cent on the field.

IPL stint with Punjab helped me improve as a player

Representing Kings XI in the previous season, the 26-year-old didn’t have a memorable season. He struggled in his maiden outing in the league and could claim just two wickets having featured in six games with an economy rate of 9.07. However, Natarajan feels that it was a learning curve for him.

“Playing for Punjab was a great experience. It was my first year in the IPL and all my team-mates, the management and the support staff there were all very nice and helpful. Even my game has got better. It taught me how to handle pressure and what lengths to bowl when the odds are stacked against me,” he was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

Excited to be playing alongside Bhuvneshwar

Natarajan was elated having earned a contract this time round as well. He has been out of action for a long time. Thus, was happy that the team showed faith in him. He also admitted that having been picked in the previous IPL season after a successful stint in the TNPL, he couldn’t produce the expected performance.

“I was out of action for nearly five months, didn’t get to play much cricket. So, regardless of who picked me, I would’ve been pleased. At this point, I’m just glad to be a part of the Sunrisers squad. Playing alongside Bhuvi will obviously help.  Last season, I wasn’t playing at my best. I wasn’t quite content with my performance. So, this time I wish to give my 100 per cent with Hyderabad. The focus will be on bettering my slower balls and delivering yorkers at the death,” he stated.