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Updated June 7th, 2021 at 17:05 IST

'Didn't look like he could bat': Anrich Nortje recalls bowling to MS Dhoni as 16-year-old

16-year-old Anrich Nortje was called to bowl in the nets to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players during the 2010 Champions League in South Africa.

Reported by: Vishal Tiwari
Anrich Nortje, MS Dhoni, Nortje, Dhoni, CSK, Delhi Capitals, IPL, IPL 2021, Nortje on Dhoni
(Image Credit: DelhiCapitals/Insta/BCCI) | Image:self
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South African pacer Anrich Nortje, who plays for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), recalled the time when he bowled to former India skipper MS Dhoni in nets as a 16-year-old during the 2010 Champions League. Nortje, while speaking on the YouTube channel 'The Grade Cricketer', said when he first saw MS Dhoni in the nets it didn't look like he could bat because of his unorthodox batting style. Nortje said Dhoni was standing there and hitting the balls without bringing his feet into the play, which is basic for any batsmen. 

"I remember bowling to MS in the nets there. It didn't look like he wanted to be there, and it didn't appear he could bat, to be honest. I had no idea it was him. He appeared to be striking a couple of balls while nearly standing motionless and without using his feet as he usually does. After that, it was such a beautiful time to look around and see who was there and who the greats were," Nortje said during a chat with The Grade Cricketer. 

Nortje was called to bowl in the nets to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players during the 2010 Champions League in South Africa when he was just 16-years-old. The Protea cricketer said it was only afterward that he realised who the greats were, including MS Dhoni. Nortje said that he had no idea about MS Dhoni when he was bowling to him in the nets. Chennai Super Kings won the 2010 edition of the Champions League under the leadership of MS Dhoni. A decade later, Nortje made his IPL debut and got a chance to play against the man himself. 

Nortje in IPL

Nortje made an impressive IPL debut last year as he scalped 22 wickets in 16 games an average of 23.27, Nortje, alongside fellow South African Kagiso Rabada, helped his team reach the final of the tournament in UAE, which they lost against Mumbai Indians. Nortje did not play a single game in IPL 2021 as an injury to regular skipper Shreyas Iyer meant a like-for-like replacement in the form of Steve Smith, forcing the South African to sit in the dugout because only four foreigners are allowed in the playing XI.  

(Image Credit: DelhiCapitals/Insta/BCCI)
 

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Published June 7th, 2021 at 17:05 IST

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