South Africa’s left-arm pacer Marco Jansen has opened up about bowling to India’s veteran batter Virat Kohli in the first ODI of the three-ODI series. Jansen revealed that he grew up watching Kohli on the TV. The in-form all-rounder finds it both annoying and fun to bowl to the batter with most centuries in the ODI format.
“It’s nice to watch him play. Growing up watching him on TV, to actually bowling to him now — it’s annoying but it’s fun at the same time. He drives well, he pulls well, cuts well, plays with his pads well. I don’t think much has changed — he’s just batting longer and longer,” said Jansen in the post-match press conference.
Kohli faced 14 deliveries from Jansen and scored 12 runs from it including two boundaries.
Jansen also talked about the need to get a batter out early as once they get it, it is difficult to dismiss them.
“When you bowl to world-class players, it’s quite difficult to get them out. I always try to get a batter in his first 10 or 15 balls. That’s when they’re still getting used to the wicket. But once they’re in, and they get on a roll, it’s very difficult to stop them. Everyone here knows how to play — that’s why you go to plan B or C,” he added.
Jansen claimed the wickets of opener Rohit Sharma and stand-in captain KL Rahul. Rohit scored 21 runs off 15 deliveries faced against Jansen. Rahul scored 12 runs from 11 deliveries faced from the tall left-arm pacer.
Jansen gives India a scare with whirlwind knock
Jansen was exceptional with the bat as well. Batting at no.7, the 25-year-old scored 70 runs off just 39 balls. He smashed three sixes and eight fours during his stay at the crease. His knock kept the Proteas alive in the run chase. He shared a 97-run partnership with Matthew Breetzke who scored 72 runs from 80 deliveries. It was Jansen's second half-century in ODIs.