NEW DELHI: South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen offered a candid and striking assessment of what it feels like to bowl to Virat Kohli, admitting that world-class batters of the Indian superstar’s calibre become “almost impossible to stop” once they settle in. Kohli’s masterful 135 in the first ODI in Ranchi not only powered India to a 17-run win and a 1-0 series lead, but also reaffirmed the challenge bowlers face against him — a challenge Jansen says leaves little room for error.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Reflecting on the knock, Jansen said the only genuine opportunity a bowler has comes right at the start of a batter’s innings.“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,” Jansen explained.
But with Kohli, he said, the equation changes rapidly.“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.”Kohli’s 52nd ODI century on Sunday was classic Virat — tempo control, smart risk-taking, and an extended stay that he has made a hallmark of his greatness. For Jansen, the difficulty lies in the completeness of Kohli’s batting.
Poll
How challenging do you believe it is for bowlers to dismiss Virat Kohli once he settles in?
Jansen first bowled to Kohli as a 17-year-old net bowler during India’s 2017–18 South Africa tour, and the impact remains vivid.“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 said. “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.”On his own form, Jansen said a strong top order is giving him the freedom to express himself with the bat lower down. “I’m just watching the ball and playing it as it comes. At the moment it’s working for me.”Despite trailing 0-1, Jansen insisted South Africa were “not disheartened”, saying the team believed they were “doing the right things” and only needed to stack good spells consistently. He added that injury updates would be clearer before the second ODI in Raipur, with Aiden Markram continuing to lead in Temba Bavuma‘s absence.India and South Africa now shift focus to Raipur, where the high-stakes second ODI awaits.
