'Every game I have picked him we have won. In his debut in T20, India won. In his debut in Test cricket, India won.'
Former coach Ravi Shastri hailed Thangarasu Natarajan as a death bowling specialist, saying the Indian team missed the left-arm pacer sorely during its T20 World Cup debacle in the UAE last year.
Natarajan, who came to limelight in India's historic Test series win Down Under in 2021, suffered a knee injury and missed most part of the year before making a comeback in Sunrisers Hyderabad's second match of IPL 2022 against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday.
"Very happy for him. We missed him in the World Cup. He would have been a certainty had he been fit," Shastri told ESPNCricinfo.
India had made a heartbreaking group stage exit in the T20 World Cup in 2021.
"He got injured against England when we were playing the ODI series and we really missed him (in the World Cup).
"He is that specialist death bowler, bowls those yorkers very skilfully. He has got great control. He is skiddy. A bit quicker than you think and hits the bat," Shastri said.
The 31-year-old, who was bought back by Sunrisers for Rs 4 crore, made a fine comeback after 12 months, picking 2/26 from his four overs even as they suffered their second defeat on the trot with a 12-run loss.
Shastri was the head coach when the leftarm pacer made his debut for India across the three formats in their memorable 2020-21 tour to Australia.
The former coach said Natarajan was a lucky charm for them.
"Every game I have picked him we have won. In his debut in T20, India won. In his debut in Test cricket, India won. From a net bowler, he played those other two formats," Shastri said.
Sunrisers will next face defending champions Chennai Super Kings on April 9.
