Natarajan (2-63 from 20 overs) shines in Brisbane Test

Thangarasu Natarajan arrived in Australia last November as a net bowler for the India squad, never expecting to get a shot at a test debut Down Under.

He celebrated his elevation from backup bowler to cricket’s most elite level by taking a pair of key wickets to peg back Australia to 274-5 on the opening day of the series-deciding fourth test at the Gabba on Friday, according to The Associated Press.

The 29-year-old left-armer played his first one-day international and his first Twenty20 international in December and completed the full set of formats when he was given a test debut.

It was a kind of a last-man-standing chance after a string of injuries to bowlers culminated in pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah being ruled out of the Brisbane match before Friday’s coin toss, according to The Associated Press.

With one ODI and three T20 internationals worth of experience, Natarajan was straight into action, sharing the new ball with Mohammed Siraj, who was leading a bowling attack which had only a combined four previous test caps, after the Australians won the toss and decided to bat.

India had Australia in early trouble at 17-2 before Marnus Labuschagne rallied the innings, posting his fifth test century and sharing partnerships of 70 with Steve Smith (36) and 113 with Matthew Wade (45) to get the hosts to 200-3 and on the verge of accelerating the scoring. That’s when Natarajan struck twice, quickly, to slow the momentum.

Wade and Labuschange both misjudged his length and top-edged attempted pull shots.

Wade was caught at mid-on in Natarajan’s 13th over and Labuschagne, after surviving dropped catches on 37 and 48, was finally out for 108 after facing 204 deliveries when he skied one to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant in the rookie bowler’s 14th.

Natarajan finished the day with figures of 2-63 from 20 overs.

Australia allrounder Cameron Green was unbeaten on 28 and captain Tim Paine was 38 not out at stumps.

Labuschagne said the attack — India’s least experienced ever in a test match — bowled with discipline early and showed they were quality cricketers.

But he was still conscious he missed a change to make a bigger century.