Virat Kohli says Natarajan can earn a place in T20 WC squad 'if he can be consistent'

Indian skipper Virat Kohli feels that yorker specialist T Natarajan can be a great asset to Team India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 if he keeps on performing consistently with the ball in hand after the third T20I against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday. 

The 'yorker king' had to fill in the shoes of frontline pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in the three-match series. While Bumrah was rested for the series, Shami was benched for the last two T20Is.

'Special Mention': Virat Kohli

"Natarajan special mention for him as in absence of Bumrah and Shami. He is been the guy who has stood up and really delivered under pressure. And it's an outstanding fact that he playing his first game at the international level," Kohli said during a virtual press conference.

"He looks very composed and is a very hard-working guy and very humble too. I wish him all the best and a left-arm bowler is always an asset on the field and if he can be consistent it will be a great thing for us heading into the World Cup next year," he added.

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T Natarajan's performance in the ongoing T20I series

Natarajan was the pick of the bowlers for India in the second match as he finished with figures of 2/20 from his four overs at an economy rate of 5 at a perfect batting surface at the SCG. The yorker specialist had left off from where he had finished in the last game in Canberra. The Tamil Nadu cricketer had finished his spell with figures of 3/30 from his four overs at an economy rate of 7.50 in that contest where India had registered 11-run win. 

The 29-year old was decent in the dead rubber contest with figures of 1/33 from his quota of four overs at an economy rate of 8.25. The Salem-based cricketer has ended the series with six wickets in three games. 

The Tamil Nadu quickie will now be heading back to India as he is not a part of the Test squad. 

ICC T20 World Cup 2021

Apparently, the seventh edition of the showpiece event in T20 Cricket was originally scheduled to be held in Australia from October 18 to November 15 this year. However, it has been postponed to 2021 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was taken in the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting that was conducted in July and they came to a conclusion that the World Cup will be held in October next year whereas, the tournament decider will be played on November 14.

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(With ANI Inputs)