The mini auction shortly could set some records, as already the stars of the IPL 2026 retention list have been made clear by the franchises. Anrich Nortje, among other names, went into the KKR released players 2026 list as well.
The IPL or Kolkata Knight Riders got the vote for 6.50 crores made in the mega auction. However, he had a disappointing season due to health issues. He participated in 2 games that season only, giving away 83 runs in 7 overs with a lone wicket. No one was surprised that he did not get included in KKR retention list 2026.
Recently, Nortje made his comeback in a big way from injury with 8 wickets in 4 matches during CSA T20 Challenge, and he only let the batsmen score 6.12 runs in an over against him. He has done it before, and if he is at his best, then batters will have a hard time in dealing with him and with that he is a valuable player, thus teams will fight for him.
Now let us see three franchises that may target Anrich Nortje in the IPL 2026 auction.
Teams Likely to Target Anrich Nortje
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
One of the surprising names was Matheesha Pathirana who was in the Chennai Super Kings released players 2026 list. With their last three editions, he was their bowling spearhead and though they may try to re-sign him, in case they fail to get him then Anrich Nortje would be the ideal substitution.
The South African fast bowler, Anrich Nortje could be one of the CSK targets in IPL 2026. He possesses both pace and experience and the latter is something the franchise places great importance on. They have a budget of INR 43.4 crore left, and the only team with a greater budget is the one that released Nortje.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
The LSG retention list for 2026 consists of four overseas players, but none of them is a pace bowler. Last season, they had Shamar Joseph, and Will O’Rourke was signed as a short-term substitute. The Lucknow Super Giants team has got the bowler Mohammed Shami through a trade with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Nevertheless, the team might still be in search of at least one overseas fast bowler. It would be great to have Anrich Nortje in their team together with Shami, Mayank Yadav, and Mohsin Khan. Their remaining budget of INR 22.95 crore for the IPL 2026 auction is quite attractive for the acquisition of Nortje.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru list of players released for the year 2026 included two overseas stars Lungi Ngidi and Liam Livingstone. The champions of the previous season have in their squad two fast bowlers—Josh Hazlewood and Nuwan Thushara. But due to Hazlewood’s injury problems, they might need to find a more reliable backup than Thushara for him.
Thus, it is possible that Anrich Nortje will be among the players whom RCB targets during the IPL 2026 auction. They have a pretty stable team and not many concerns regarding the squad. With INR 16.4 crore available, RCB can script an enticing tale around the South African pacer.
