Delhi Capitals ka IPL 2025 mein ab tak ka performance kaafi solid raha hai. Axar Patel ki captaincy mein team ne 9 matches mein se 6 jeete hain, aur abhi points table mein chauthe number par hai. Lekin ek cheez fans ko confuse kar rahi hai — T Natarajan ka absence!
Left-arm pacer T Natarajan, jo pichle season mein 19 wickets lekar chhaye rahe the, ab tak Delhi Capitals ke liye ek bhi match nahi khele. Aur woh bhi tab, jab unke liye DC ne mega auction mein ₹10.75 crore kharch kiye the. Jab DC ne RCB ke against match haara aur Mukesh Kumar ne kaafi runs diye, tab ye sawaal fir se samne aaya: “Natarajan ko kyu nahi khilaya gaya?”
“Hum sirf 12 players ko khila sakte hain, ek impact player ke roop mein. Agar aap mujhe bata sakein ke Natarajan ko kahan fit karen, toh shayad madad mile. Woh sab kuch kar rahe hain jo unse kaha gaya hai. Hamaare squad ke non-playing members bhi kaafi impressive hain. Sab ready hain, Natu bhi,”
— Kevin Pietersen, post-match press conference
KP ne ye bhi bataya ke kuch players health issues face kar rahe hain. Jaise RCB ke opener Phil Salt viral illness ke kaaran available nahi the. Unhone Donovan Ferreira ka example diya jo sirf ek match mein aaye aur kuch hi balls face ki.
“Donovan ne GT ke against kuch hi balls kheli, par woh ready tha. Aisa hi Natarajan ke saath bhi ho sakta hai. Phil Salt viral se down tha, aur kuch players last moment pe bimaar ho gaye. Natu bhi pura ready hai,”
— Pietersen
Lekin jab Natarajan ke price tag par baat aayi, toh Pietersen ne clearly keh diya — paise matter nahi karte. Squad ki depth aur timing zyada important hai.
“Main paiso ki baat nahi karta. Ye Premier League nahi hai. Impact aur timing important hai. Jake Fraser-McGurk, jise humne ₹9 crore mein retain kiya, woh bhi bench par hai. Toh ye sirf paisa nahi, strategy hai,”
— Kevin Pietersen
Natarajan ne IPL 2024 mein 19 wickets liye the in 14 matches with an average of 24.47. Tab woh Sunrisers Hyderabad ka key bowler the. Wahi Mukesh Kumar is season mein 9 matches khel chuke hain aur sirf 9 wickets liye hain. RCB ke against unhone 3.3 overs mein 51 runs de diye the, jisme last ke over mein Tim David ne unse 19 runs le liye.
Toh kya Natarajan ko mauka milna chahiye? Fans aur experts dono yahi pooch rahe hain. Squad ki strength toh zabardast hai, lekin jab ₹10.75 crore ka bowler bench par ho, toh sawaal uthte hi hain!
