South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje made his first international appearance since the 2024 T20 World Cup final in the opening ODI against India at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday, December 9. His nearly 18-month absence was primarily due to multiple injuries, with only a few franchise games in between.
In June 2025, Nortje suffered a stress-related injury, adding to a series of fitness setbacks throughout his career. He returned to action in the CSA T20 Challenge for the Dolphins, where he took 11 wickets in nine matches at an economy of 7.47 and an average of 21.18, finishing as the tournament’s joint fourth-highest wicket-taker.
Despite the long layoff, Nortje’s pace remained sharp in his international comeback, and he managed to trouble Indian batters early in his spell. His final figures of 0/41 from four overs may not stand out, but the performance was an encouraging first step as he works his way back from yet another injury setback.
Here Are 3 Factors That Make Anrich Nortje A Must-Target For RCB In IPL 2026:
#3 RCB Need A Backup Pacer For Hazlewood
From RCB’s point of view, their squad is complete in almost every area except for having a backup for Josh Hazlewood, especially after releasing Lungi Ngidi. With the Australian fast bowler dealing with more injury concerns during the off season, the defending champions will have to monitor his workload through the tournament.
Since Hazlewood will not be able to play every match, RCB must sign a capable pacer who can cover his absence as effectively as possible. Earlier, the backup fast bowler was only a safety option, but now it has become as important as a regular starting role because of how uncertain Hazlewood’s availability is.
RCB can rotate Nortje and Hazlewood across the season, using them in different phases to cover each other. Nortje has completed a full IPL season only once and has played just eight matches in the last two years. Since RCB want high impact performances rather than constant presence, Nortje can easily contribute at least four to five matches while Hazlewood is recovering.
#2 Few Budget Overseas Pacers Bring Proven IPL Experience
RCB cannot afford to chase star overseas pacers like Matheesha Pathirana and similar names due to their limited budget after retaining several key players. This forces the team to focus on bargain options, which is challenging because few budget-friendly choices also offer valuable IPL experience.
Players like Gus Atkinson and Gerald Coetzee are available in the auction and meet some of the team’s requirements, but they come with their own drawbacks, most notably, limited IPL experience. Anrich Nortje, however, nearly meets all of RCB’s criteria. His previous IPL and subcontinent experience make him an attractive option.
Nortje has played six IPL seasons, and although his participation has been inconsistent, it has largely been due to injuries rather than a lack of skill.
#1 Anrich Nortje’s Pace A Key Asset In All Conditions
Most overseas pacers in the auction are specialists: Pathirana excels in death overs, Farooqi and Behrendorff shine with the new ball, and Coetzee is effective in the middle overs, performing their roles exceptionally well. Teams can go all out for such specialists if other areas are already covered. For RCB, since Hazlewood can impact all phases, they ideally need a backup who offers similar versatility.
Anrich Nortje fits this role perfectly; his sheer pace allows him to bowl effectively in the powerplay, middle overs, and occasionally at the death, even though his death bowling can sometimes be slightly inconsistent.
RCB doesn’t need to rely on Nortje for the death overs, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal can handle that responsibility in Hazlewood’s absence. Nortje’s pace makes him less dependent on conditions, and his short bursts in the middle overs can complement the spinners controlling the game from the other end, adding balance to the bowling attack.
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