South Africa have a big challenge ahead of them in the form of the number one Test side. The Indian cricket team is touring South Africa for a three-match Test series. South Africa have to be on their toes to beat a formidable team like India. With four days remaining for the first Test at Centurion, South Africa faced a huge blow in the form of their prime pace bowler Anrich Nortje.
Unfortunately, Nortje will miss the Test series due to an injury, which is a significant setback for the host nation. Nortje hasn’t bowled since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in November. The bowler can shatter the opposition batting unit with his fierce bowling. Along with Rabada, Nortje would have been the perfect fit to challenge the solid Indian batting unit.
Nortje: A lethal bowler at home and away
On the quick and bouncy wickets of South Africa, Nortje’s pace would have been an X-factor that might have worried the Indian batters. The Indian batters are not comfortable and habituated to playing quick bowling, especially on pitches like in South Africa, and Nortje’s average pace of 150 clicks per hour would have been lethal for them.
Nortje has an excellent record at home, which is obvious because of his ability to bowl quickly. He has played 12 matches in his career, which include six at home. In South Africa, Nortje has been exceptional, as he has picked 29 wickets at an average of 25.62 and a strike rate of 39.4. Nortje’s numbers at home are better than his overall Test career numbers, which indicates his effectiveness in South African conditions.
Nortje’s growth in red-ball cricket
With the kind of form Nortje is in 2021, South Africa are facing a huge crisis with him not being able to participate in the upcoming Test series against India. Nortje has risen from ashes from nowhere – from a lethal and effective white-ball bowler to become an impressive and dependable red-ball bowler. He has flown up in the charts and has caught everyone’s eye with his astonishing bowling ability in all formats of the game.
Nortje made his Test debut in 2019, and in that year, he played just four matches, picking up six wickets at a decent average of 47. He then worked and improved on his red-ball bowling as he got opportunities to play, and in 2020, he played seven matches and picked up 16 wickets. His average and strike rate improved by a mile.
In this year, Nortje is the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in Tests with 25 wickets in 10 matches. Nortje is six wickets ahead of Keshav Maharaj this year. He averages 20.8 and has a spectacular strike rate of 37.7, which is his best in his career in a calendar year.
Conclusion
There hasn’t been any replacement named yet for Nortje by South Africa. None of the bowlers who can replace Nortje have the pace, ability, and skills to match his level. There are three-four options for South Africa and their captain Dean Elgar. Rabada will lead the pace attack, and he will surely be under immense pressure in the absence of his pace bowling duo, Anrich Nortje. Even though South Africa are playing at home, Nortje’s absence is a severe blow for them against India.