IPL 2026: ‘He tries to bowl his best ball every time’ - Rory Kleinveldt praises Nandre Burger’s impact for RR

Former South Africa cricketer Rory Kleinveldt has praised Nandre Burger, describing him as a bowler who consistently strives to deliver his best ball and looks to make an impact even when conditions are not in his favour. Burger has been particularly impressive for the Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026.

The left-arm pacer made a strong statement in the tournament opener against the Chennai Super Kings, returning figures of 2/26 and earning the Player of the Match award in Guwahati. Burger showcased his pace and precision by dismissing Sanju Samson with a sharp delivery clocked at over 140 km/h that disturbed his off stump. He followed it up with another breakthrough on the very next ball, removing Ayush Mhatre and putting his team firmly in control early in the game.

“Nandre’s performance in Rajasthan Royals’ opening game against CSK was clearly no surprise to me after watching him bowl in those two games for Western Province. He tries to bowl his best ball every time. I think that’s what sets him apart from most strike bowlers; even when conditions are not in his favour, he is still looking to make a play. And that is golden,” said Kleinveldt as quoted by Tribune India.

In SA20, Burger also spearheads the attack for the Joburg Super Kings. Kleinveldt highlighted that the guidance of bowling coach Eric Simons has played a crucial role in Burger’s development, particularly in helping him maintain consistency and stay fit after a career that has been frequently disrupted by injuries.

“He has been working quite closely with Eric. His biggest challenge is putting together a run of games, getting his body robust again, and simply bowling overs. "I would say he has fulfilled the potential he showed back then, which is a huge credit to him, because many can fall by the wayside. He has definitely gotten much stronger and has done excellent work to clean up his action. He still suffers from injuries, but when you consider what he does - running in and bowling 145 km/h-plus - that will always be hard on the body. The key for him going forward is to play as much as possible to build that robustness and ensure greater longevity," Kleinveldt said.