“He didn’t look like he could bat to be honest,” Anrich Nortje’s words come back to HAUNT him after MS Dhoni hits him for 20 runs

Anrich Nortje had recounted the time he bowled to MS Dhoni when he was young.

“He didn’t look like he could bat to be honest,” Anrich Nortje’s words come back to HAUNT him after MS Dhoni hits him for 20 runs

Anrich Nortje and MS Dhoni (Images via Imago and ESPN)

On 31st March, MS Dhoni finally batted after 10 months during CSK’s loss against Delhi Capitals. Although his team did lose, Dhoni ended up playing an entertaining knock of 37* off 16. 

His innings also saw him smacking South African pacer Anrich Nortje for 20 runs in the final over of the match. He hit two sixes and two boundaries to get CSK to 171. A couple of days after Nortje was hit, an old interview of his came back to haunt him. 

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In an interview from 2021 with The Grade Cricketer, Nortje revealed he was a net bowler at a CSK camp when he was young and bowled to MS Dhoni. He claims he didn’t recognize the Indian batter, who didn’t move his feet while batting and believed Captain Cool didn’t know how to bat.

He didn't look like he could bat to be honest. I didn't realize it was him. He hit a couple of balls almost standing still and not using any feet as he does. [But] afterwards he was such a nice man to see everyone and realize who they were. I am not going to lie. I did think he didn't know how to bat. It was a nice buildup seeing everyone around in the nets. They were just to block, get their eyes in.
Anrich Nortje to The Grade Cricketer

Anrich Nortje to miss Tests for the next year 

 Anrich Nortje has just returned to cricket after a stress fracture. The Proteas pacer has missed out on the 2023 ODI World Cup due to the injury and missed the SA20 as well. The pacer has now returned to cricket, but has decided to not play Test cricket till 2025. 

Anrich Nortje
Anrich Nortje (Image via Imago)

According to a report by Netwerk24, the pacer has not retired from Tests, but will work towards full fitness to play the longest format of the game. Nortje recently played three Domestic T20s in South Africa and then traveled to India to play in the IPL. 

He has decided to play T20s and prepare himself for One Day cricket. The pacer wants to play in the 2024 T20I World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy as well. He last played for South Africa on 9th September, playing in an ODI against Australia. 

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