Marco Jansen Says Bowling to Virat Kohli Tests Every Bowler’s Limits
Marco Jansen recalls watching Kohli on TV and explains why bowling to him remains uniquely challenging.
South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen turned into an unabashed Virat Kohli admirer after being at the receiving end of the Indian maestro’s 135 in the first ODI on Sunday, admitting that once Kohli gets set, stopping him is “almost impossible.” The towering left-arm quick, who dismissed Kohli during the innings, reflected on the challenge of bowling to a batsman he grew up watching on television, saying the experience remains “annoying but fun at the same time.”
Speaking after South Africa’s 17-run defeat at the JSCA Stadium, Jansen revealed that the only realistic chance against a player of Kohli’s caliber is in the first 10–15 deliveries. “When world-class players get in and go on a roll, it’s very difficult to stop them. Everyone knows how to play—that’s why you have to go to Plan B or C,” he said. Having first bowled to Kohli as a 17-year-old net bowler during India’s 2017-18 tour of South Africa, Jansen noted that the 37-year-old’s core strengths remain unchanged: “He drives well, pulls well, cuts well, and plays with his pads well. He’s just batting longer and longer.”
Despite conceding 73 runs in his ten overs and being hit for two sixes by Kohli, Jansen took the pounding in stride, acknowledging the Indian’s ability to dominate any bowling attack once settled. His own explosive 80 off 39 balls nearly pulled off an improbable chase, but he credited India’s early strikes for tilting the game.
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Jansen expressed confidence ahead of the remaining matches, insisting the Proteas were “doing the right things” and not disheartened by the 0-1 deficit. With the second ODI scheduled in Raipur and the third in Delhi, he believes consistent execution can turn the series around. For now, though, the 25-year-old happily joins millions of fans in applauding the man he once watched on TV—even if it occasionally comes at the cost of bruised bowling fingers.
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