IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals' Anrich Nortje arrives in Mumbai
In a big relief for the Delhi Capitals, pacer Anrich Nortje landed in Mumbai on Sunday, raising hopes of his participation in IPL 2022.
Nortje shared the news by posting a picture with his wife Micaela on his Instagram story, tagging Mumbai as the location. You can see it here.
The 28-year-old will now likely undergo mandatory quarantine at Delhi Capitals' camp at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where most other members have already started training.
Rishabh Pant and Co. have been sweating on Nortje's participation since last December. The South African was retained for INR 6.5 crore in the IPL 2022 auction but has been out of action due to a hip injury.
Cricket South Africa (CSA)’s medical officer was recently quoted in a local newspaper saying "he is not ready for action."
Dr. Shuaib Manjra had said:
"He has been seen by three different orthopedic surgeons. He is struggling with loading and doing most of the other rehab work. He is not ready for action.
"I guess it's frustrating. He keeps fit, he works extremely hard. All goes fine, except for when he picks up his bowling loads. He has got discomfort. We have identified three different problems between back and hip and we don’t know which is primary."
Anrich Nortje has arrived in Mumbai, and all set to join Delhi Capitals team for the IPL 2022. https://t.co/yBb2PEiRNg
His arrival in Mumbai could be interpreted as CSA's clearance for his participation in the tournament. Now, all will depend on the Delhi Capitals' medical team and if they find him fit enough to resume bowling.
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Anrich Nortje's IPL record
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The reason why the Delhi Capitals are so keen to see the right-arm pacer fit is because of his record in the IPL. In the 2021 season, Anrich Nortje played eight games, picking up 12 wickets at a stunning average of 15.58.
Overall, he has 34 wickets at 20.56. Although they have Mustafizur Rahman and Lungi Ngidi available, Nortje's impact with the new ball will be hard to replicate.