29-year-old, who signed a kolpaki Taught a deal with Yorkshire in 2019 but only returned to the South African domestic circuit this season, coming back with 3/64 as India were bowled out for 202 in 63.1 overs on the first day of the second Test.
“To be honest, when I played today I thought it was a new debut. You can say I was very nervous today,” Olivier told the media after the day’s proceedings.
Olivier opened his account with Cheteshwar Pujaraand then dismissed struggling Ajinkya Rahane for a golden duck off the very next ball, adding to his 50-wicket haul in Test cricket.
“For me, it’s just trying to put good energy on the ball, put the team in the best shape possible. So we can make life easier for the batsmen.”
At the top of the world in 2019, Olivier signed a Kolpak deal with Yorkshire and later expressed his ambition to try and qualify for England.
Olivier played three seasons in England but was no longer a Kolpak player with flaws at the end of 2020 in the wake of Brexit.
He has been the leading wicket-taker in South Africa’s domestic first-class competition this season with 28 wickets at an average of under 12.
But the solidly built pacer was ruled out of the first Test at Centurion due to the effects of COVID-19 and hamstring problems.
Lungi Nigdi supported him but bowled only 11 overs without any wicket.
“I don’t know why he only bowled 11 overs. I can’t tell you that but I think he was very unlucky, he was bowling exceptionally well.
“It’s one of these days when you don’t get rewarded for bowling well. It’s still the second innings, maybe he will get the prize.”
Asked about his bowling unit’s change from the first Test, he said: “If you look at the first Test, on day one as a bowling unit I don’t think we can be proud of that. If you look at the hypercritical Wanted to be, maybe we gave too many 20-30 runs.
“The message was simple, just try to play them more and stick to the plan, stick to the process that makes us successful as a bowling unit.
“At the end of the day it is easy to say that we didn’t bowl well in the first Test. It was our first Test after a long time but there was no excuse. We have improved, we want to improve more. We don’t compromise. for anything,” he concluded.
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