Natarajan is a match-winner, says SRH skipper Markram

CHENNAI: Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Aiden Markram hailed Thangarasu Natarajan as a “match-winner” and threw his weight behind the under-performing left-arm pacer, saying that he is bound to have a mixed bag of results while bowling at the death.

Natarajan, one of the designated end-over bowlers, is yet to hit the straps in the Indian Premier League 2023 – he has picked up just four wickets in five matches and has an ordinary economy rate of 10.55. In the recent 14-run defeat to Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad, the 32-year-old conceded 34 runs off his last two overs.

“Yeah, we love Nattu (Natarajan). We know his ability, we know his class. He bowls the tough overs for us, a lot like what Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) does. He is very clear in his plans. There will be nights when the execution is slightly off. But, there will also be a lot of nights when he gets it right. He is a proper match-winner for us,” said Markram on Thursday, the eve of the Chennai Super Kings-Sunrisers contest here.

Rahane has grown as T20 batter: Simons

CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons said that he is not surprised one bit by how Ajinkya Rahane has transformed as a T20 batter. Rahane has been a revelation at No.3 this season, having accumulated 129 runs in three outings at a terrific strike-rate of 195.5.

“People misunderstand T20 cricket, batting in particular. There are different ways of playing this game (T20). It is important to find your way and who you are. Rahane is a very clever cricketer. He has found his way of playing the game and he has been very effective. He plays traditional cricket shots. He has got a particular way and he has grown tremendously,” Simons told reporters.