3 reasons why DC retaining T Natarajan ahead of IPL 2026 Auction was the right move despite heavy price tag

Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, scheduled for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, the Delhi Capitals (DC) announced their retention list on November 15. The franchise held on to 17 players, including seamer T Natarajan, and also brought in Nitish Rana through a trade with the Rajasthan Royals (RR). Although most of the retentions were expected, Natarajan’s name surprised many, especially since he bowled only three overs in the 2025 season despite being signed for ₹10. 75 crore at the mega auction. Speaking to Star Sports, DC head coach Hemang Badani clarified that the Tamil Nadu pacer missed the majority of the last season due to injury, explaining that: “Last year, what happened with Nattu (Natarajan) was something many people didn’t know. Many were questioning why he wasn’t being played and saying he is such a good bowler and yet was not played despite costing ₹11 crore. But people need to understand that we have also played enough cricket ourselves. If I am paying someone ₹11 crore, I wouldn’t keep him on the bench without a reason. The real reason was that Nattu wasn’t fit. He was injured for a long time, and even when he became ready to return, he got injured again. Because of that, his entire season kept getting delayed, and we couldn’t play him.” As Delhi Capitals once again placed their trust in the 34-year-old, here are three reasons why retaining T Natarajan ahead of the IPL 2026 auction was the right call despite the hefty price tag. #1 Strengthens DC’s death-overs blueprint alongside Mitchell Starc As Delhi Capitals retained T Natarajan, a fully fit Tamil Nadu pacer could form a formidable death-overs partnership with Australia’s Mitchell Starc. In the 2025 season, Starc claimed 14 wickets in 11 matches, including a five-wicket haul, but his economy rate of 10. 16 is something he will aim to improve in the upcoming edition. Looking at their death-overs numbers, Natarajan has taken 38 wickets in 54 IPL innings at an economy of 10. 38, while Starc has 29 wickets in 35 innings with an economy of 9. 05. If both left-arm seamers operate together, combining their yorkers and variations, DC could finally have a reliable and potent death-overs bowling unit. #2 Limited Indian fast-bowling options make retaining him essential Another reason Delhi Capitals chose to retain the 34-year-old is the limited availability of Indian fast bowlers in the upcoming auction. Since the 2026 auction will be a mini auction, most teams have held on to their key players, including their core group of Indian seamers. With only a small pool of quality Indian pacers expected to be available, retaining Natarajan was a smart decision. His extensive IPL experience, along with his appearances for India across formats, makes him a valuable asset and a difficult player for DC to release, even at a price of ₹10. 75 crore #3 TNPL 2025 performances suggest he remains an impactful T20 bowler Although T Natarajan missed almost the entire IPL season, he delivered an impressive performance in the 2025 Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Representing Idream Tiruppur Tamizhans, he played a key role in their title-winning campaign, claiming 10 wickets in nine matches at an average of 19. 60, a strike rate of 17. 90, and an excellent economy of 6. 56. With Natarajan still demonstrating his quality, and if he stays fit for the 2026 edition, he could be a major asset as DC push for their maiden title.
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