South Africa’s all-rounder Marco Jansen has opened up about facing India’s star batter Virat Kohli in the first ODI in Ranchi. Jansen described how tough it is for any bowler when a player of Kohli’s stature and calibre occupies the crease. Kohli smashed his 52nd ODI hundred, which helped India win the first match by 17 runs.
Jansen highlighted the challenges of bowling to Kohli. “When you bowl to world-class players, it’s quite difficult to get them out,” he said at the press conference on Sunday. “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.”
Once Kohli got a start, Jansen explained, things only became harder for the Proteas bowlers. “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.
It was a good game for Jansen with both bat and ball. First, he picked up two wickets, including that of Rohit Sharma, and then he smashed a 39-ball 70 to give India a little scare in the run chase.
Despite losing the series opener, Jansen pointed to the positives from the match.
“We didn’t bowl too badly. They got early wickets, we were on the back foot, then we pulled it back. It’s just about adding the good things on top of each other, like we’ve been doing in the Test squad,” he added.
India and South Africa will lock horns in Raipur on December 3 for the second ODI.
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