South African all-rounder Marco Jansen expressed a mix of admiration and frustration after his powerful batting display wasn't enough to secure a win against India in the first One Day International. Despite his efforts, South Africa fell short by 17 runs while chasing a daunting target of 350 at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday.
The Challenge of Bowling to the Best
Reflecting on the match, the 25-year-old highlighted the immense challenge of bowling to world-class batters like Virat Kohli. Jansen admitted that sticking to pre-set plans often becomes futile against such quality. "When you bowl to world-class players, it's quite challenging to dismiss them," Jansen stated in the post-match press conference.
He elaborated on his usual strategy, which involves targeting a batter in their initial phase at the crease. "I always aim to target a batter in his first 10 or 15 balls when they are still adjusting to the wicket," he explained. However, once elite players like Kohli settle in, the game changes completely. "But once they are in, and they get on a roll, it's very difficult to stop them. That's why you go to plan B or C," he added, acknowledging the need for constant adaptation.
A Personal Battle: From Net Bowler to Opponent
Jansen shared a personal perspective on facing Kohli, tracing his journey from being an aspiring net bowler to a direct competitor. "It's nice to watch him play. Growing up watching him on TV, bowling to him during the 2017 series as a net bowler to actually bowling to him now — it's annoying but it's fun at the same time," he remarked with a smile.
He broke down the Indian stalwart's technical prowess, noting no significant weaknesses. "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," Jansen observed, emphasizing Kohli's relentless consistency and ability to build monumental innings.
Looking at the Positives Despite the Loss
When questioned about South Africa's bowling performance, the lanky left-arm pacer defended his team's effort. He pointed out that India had a strong start, putting the Proteas on the back foot, but they managed to pull things back later in the innings.
"We didn't bowl too badly. They got early wickets, we were on the back foot, then we pulled it back," Jansen analyzed. He stressed the importance of building on the positives, a philosophy that has served the Test squad well. "It's just about adding the good things on top of each other like we have been doing in the Test squad," he concluded, looking ahead to the remaining matches in the series.
While disappointed with the narrow loss, Jansen's comments underscored the high level of competition and the sheer class that players like Virat Kohli bring to the game, making the difference in high-pressure chases.
