Years later, even Nandre Burger might find it hard to believe what happened to him during one fortnight in December.
He made his T20I debut for South Africa on December 14, three days later, he played his first ODI and then, another nine days later, he earned a Test cap. On his debut in the longest and hardest of formats, he took seven wickets to play a starring role in South Africa’s win by an innings and 32 runs at the SuperSport Park.
The 28-year-old left-arm seamer took seven wickets in the match. And he was on a hat-trick, against Virat Kohli, in the second innings.
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And yes, another significant thing happened, in distant Dubai. Burger was bought by Rajasthan Royals at the IPL auction for his base price of ₹50 lakhs. The management of the Jaipur must be congratulating itself after watching his splendid initiation into international cricket.
Cricket may have looked an unlikely career for Burger, though. He had gone to one of South Africa’s top rugby schools and was into tennis and squash. It seems destiny had other ideas for him.
“It’s a feeling I never thought I’d experience (to make my debut in all three formats over two weeks),” Burger said. “And my parents, sister and girlfriend were here.”
He had arrived at Centurion after taking five wickets from the three ODIs, and he showed he could be quite a handful with a red-ball in his hands, that too against an India batting side containing some of the biggest names in the game. He isn’t perturbed by the reputations, though. “I don’t think the names (like Kohli and Rohit Sharma) intimidate me; in fact they fire me up more,” he said. “I want to be the person who gets them out and kind of ruins their day.”
Looking back to the ball that could have given him a hat-trick, he said, “I wanted to bowl a little bit fuller,” he said.
Burger enjoyed bowling alongside Kagiso Rabada. “He makes your job a little easier,” he said. “He is absolutely outstanding every time he bowls.”
Rabada was outstanding in the Centurion Test, too. It may be early days yet, but Burger looks well set to carry on the great pace bowling tradition of South Africa.
