In this article, we will look at five bowlers who could replace him if he is ruled out from IPL 2025.
The much-anticipated Champions Trophy 2025 is less than a month away, and South Africa’s situation has gotten worse with Anrich Nortje being ruled out due to a back injury. He last competed in December’s Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.
This comes as a shock not only to South Africa, but also to his new IPL team, KKR, who purchased him for INR 6.5 crore in the IPL 2025 auction.
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IPL 2025 begins shortly after the Champions Trophy concludes, so KKR may require a replacement if Nortje is unable to play due to injury. In this article, we will look at five bowlers who could replace him if he is ruled out from IPL 2025.
Tall and young, New Zealand fast bowler Will O’Rourke has already made his mark in international cricket. If Anrich Nortje is not available, he could be an alternative for KKR. O’Rourke was part of the New Zealand team that whitewashed India, gaining much experience by bowling under Indian conditions. He even troubled the batters during the first Test.
O’Rourke has managed to fit into Test cricket, although he has not yet settled in white-ball formats as he has played only 6 ODIs and 3 T20Is. His raw potential and adaptability will place him as one of the strongest options for KKR to replace Nortje.
Mustafizur Rahman remained unsold in the 2025 IPL auction, but in case Nortje is out due to injury, KKR might consider him as a replacement. Mustafizur has plenty of experience in the IPL. He has played 57 matches and taken 61 wickets. Mustafizur has played for five league teams, with his best seasons coming in 2016, 2021, and 2024, when he took 17, 14, and 14 wickets.
In addition to his IPL record, Mustafizur has extensive T20 experience in various leagues and is a regular performer. KKR should strongly consider him as a replacement.
If Anrich Nortje is out, the possible replacement for KKR could be Australian fast bowler Riley Meredith. He has prior IPL experience playing for PBKS and MI. Meredith has played 18 matches and taken 19 wickets. He last played for MI in IPL 2023.
He is currently playing in the BBL for Hobart Hurricanes, where he has picked 11 wickets in 7 matches. Meredith could be a good replacement option for KKR.
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Jason Behrendorff is another Australian fast bowler who can be looked at as a replacement option for Anrich Nortje. Behrendorff has played in the IPL for MI in 2023 and picked up 14 wickets in 12 matches. Being a left-arm pacer, he brings in a good option.
In the BBL 2024/25, representing Perth Scorchers, he has taken 14 wickets in 9 matches and is one of the best fast bowlers of the tournament so far. He can also be a decent replacement option.
In the IPL 2024 auction, KKR bought Gus Atkinson, but prior to the tournament, he withdrew to manage his workload. However, even after a year, he could still be considered as a potential replacement for Anrich Nortje.
Atkinson was England’s top red-ball bowler in 2024. He hasn’t played much white-ball cricket, but he can swing the ball at a decent pace, and because KKR purchased him before, they may trust him again.
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