Anrich Nortje is back with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for IPL 2025 and the South African speedster cannot wait to roar at the Eden Gardens with his firepower. Expressing excitement over his return to the franchise for the first time since 2019, Nortje also cautioned that he's taking a gradual approach to his preparation.

"Good to be here, finally. KKR were the first to back me and it's just great to be here again," Nortje stated, reflecting on his return to KKR.

Nortje expressed his fondness for the atmosphere at the Gardens and also spoke about how special it is to play in Kolkata. "Really excited for things to get going. And what a place to be. 65,000 people are going to cheer, make some noise, and obviously shout your name out loud when you run into the goal. Beautiful place, beautiful ground to be at," he said.

Explaining the importance of the support from such an electrifying crowd and how it plays a role in motivating players to give their absolute best on the field, Nortje said, "Really excited to be here and looking forward to that first game. Obviously, the most important thing for now is just to get the prep done. But yeah, nice to just take everything in for now and hopefully build up to a successful season."

While the Protea pacer did acknowledge his ability to deliver "fireballs," he also stressed on the need for a gradual buildup before going full tilt.

When asked about his readiness after being seen bowling at a high pace in a training session, Nortje said, "I think for now, it's just aaram se...what I'm saying." He clarified, "But yeah, for all the fans, we can't wait to see you at the ground. We can't wait to see you at the matches. Already some people at the ground with the training."

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