Anrich Nortje

While the IPL would soon come sniffing around the talented quick, it was the Mzansi Super League that initially placed Nortje on an accelerated path to success

Born: November 16, 1993

Role: Right-arm fast, right-hand bat

When Kolkata Knight Riders picked up Anrich Nortje at this year’s Indian Premier League auction, former KKR star Jacques Kallis spoke in forthright terms about his countryman.

"He's got straightforward raw pace, and that's a great skill to have," the South African icon said of his country’s latest fast-bowling hope.

By any standard, the trio of Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada appears a formidable axis of pace. Add Nortje to the mix and this is a tremendous attack in every sense of the term.

While the IPL would soon come sniffing around the talented quick, it was the Mzansi Super League that initially placed Nortje on an accelerated path to success.

A spell early on in the competition for the Cape Town Blitz was sharp enough that AB de Villiers, who faced much of the seamer’s rapid barrage, used the post-match presentation to acknowledge his opponent – there are certainly worse judges.

Since then, Nortje’s trajectory has only been continuing to skyrocket. His first ODI series saw him take eight wickets in four matches against Sri Lanka.

And while injury ultimately curtailed his IPL prospects, his time will surely come again.