Marco Jansen calls Virat Kohli “annoying” after Ranchi ODI
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South African all-rounder Marco Jansen has revealed the batsman whom he gets frustrated bowling to and who is very difficult to dismiss once he extends his innings. He has also revealed what played as the major factor behind their loss in the first ODI.
South Africa could not have the same kind of start to the ODI series as they had in the Test series against India. Regular skipper Temba Bavuma was rested for the first match, and Aiden Markram stood in as the stand-in skipper.
Having lost the game by a close margin of 17 runs, the Proteas had clinched a huge portion of their target with a special effort from their all-rounders, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch.
Marco Jansen reveals the best chance to dismiss Virat Kohli
South African all-rounder Marco Jansen went on to acknowledge that containing top-tier batters like Virat Kohli makes it impossible to dismiss them, especially when they settle into the innings; it turns out to be a primary challenge for bowlers.
“When you bowl to world-class players, it’s quite challenging to dismiss them. I always aim to target a batter in his first 10 or 15 balls when they are still adjusting to the wicket," Jansen remarked.
“But once they are set and gain momentum, it’s extremely tough to halt them. Everyone here knows how to adapt, which is why you have to switch to plan B or C."
Commenting on Kohli, he revealed that he had grown up watching Virat Kohli bat, and he first bowled to him as a 17-year-old during India's 2017-18 tour to South Africa. He finds this challenge to be both frustrating and enjoyable.
“It’s great to watch him play. Growing up watching him on TV and now bowling to him is both annoying and fun," he said. “He drives well, pulls well, cuts well, and plays with his pads effectively. Not much has changed- he’s just batting for longer periods," he added.
Marco Jansen on his own blistering knock
Regarding his own impressive show with the bat, the all-rounder said that a convincing top-order has allowed him to play freely down the order. This has led to the development of his character as a cricketer.
“It’s always beneficial to come in when the top five are performing well. I’m just watching the ball and responding. For now, it’s working for me."
Marco Jansen clarified that despite the loss, the Proteas were not discouraged by the 0-1 deficit in the series, as they had performed convincingly well and would just be continuing to do so.
“We didn’t bowl too poorly. They took early wickets, and we were on the back foot, but then we recovered. It’s about building on the positives, like we’ve been doing in the Test squad," he said.
South African middle-order delivered significantly with the bat
Other than just Jansen, Matthew Bretzkee, the middle-order batter, started off building partnerships alongside Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, and then finally Marco Jansen. Some significant 30s from Brevis and Zorzi, alongside the 70s from Jansen and Bretzkee, had given South Africa an initial momentum, but a lot of work needed to be done.
Corbin Bosch, who had already impressed with his death bowling, had then taken things into his own hands as he smashed the Indian bowlers and amassed a 51-ball 67 and batted till the final over of the game, trying to guide South Africa over the line.
Bosch's half-century was one of the most monumental innings, and had he won it for South Africa, it would have been the most remarkable and unforgettable innings in the history of the game.
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India National Cricket Team South Africa National Cricket Team India vs South Africa South Africa vs India Marco Jansen Virat Kohli
