SRH's Natarajan Likely To Be Ruled Out Of IPL 2021 Due To Knee Injury

SunRisers Hyderabad's (SRH) India pace bowler T Natarajan, whose participation in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) was hampered by a sore knee, has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL.

The left-arm seamer won't take further part in the tournament, according to reports.

The Hyderabad franchise hasn't yet confirmed it and calls from IANS on the matter went unanswered.

The 30-year-old, who made his India debut across all formats on the tour of Australia, hasn't been able to get scans done due to strict Covid-19 protocols.

"He has obviously got a sore knee. Given the circumstance in these bubbles, if he goes and gets a scan, he obviously has to sit out for seven days. He has to get back in quarantine," SRH captain David Warner had said on Thursday.

"We are just monitoring him at the moment. The physios are doing their best to analyse from a face point of view but he obviously has to go out and get a scan at some point," Warner said on Wednesday.

Natarajan played the first two matches during the IPL but missed the next two and was replaced by fellow left-armer Khaleel Ahmed.

The Tamil Nadu pace bowler, who arrived to a grand welcome in his village from Australia after he played a key role in helping India win the series-clinching fourth and final Gabba Test, had picked two wickets in the first two IPL matches this season. He conceded runs at 8.62 an over.

Natarajan had burst into limelight with 16 wickets in 16 matches in the 2020 season and was included in the limited overs squad to Australia. He made his ODI and T20I debut and stayed on to make his Test debut at the Gabba.