Early birds mostly get the worm, with journalists sometimes being rewarded for landing early on the cricketing greens. This is the story of a sudden sighting of an international cricket star. It also comes with a reminder – every acclaimed wicket-taker was once a minor net bowler. As South African all-rounder Marco Johnson – the chief scriptwriter of South Africa’s historic 2-0 Test win against India – once was.
Marco used his pace and bounce to take wickets on a pitch more suited to spinners during the Guwahati Test this week. He also hit 7 sixes in his innings of 94 runs from 91 balls when most of the host batsmen were struggling.
But South Africa’s ‘discovery for the 2025 series’ introduced Virat Kohli to the Indians, especially as a 17-year-old net bowler six years ago. How does time change? Marco, the fast bowler who troubled the Indians with his ferocious bounce, will test Kohli in the ODI series, which could decide his international future. That could potentially be his biggest hurdle if he plans to make it to the 2027 World Cup.
Unlike Ranchi, where the entire city and MS Dhoni are expected to turn up for the first ODI, the first Kohli-Marco face-off took place at the Wanderers’ training ground. This was January, 2018.
An hour before India’s net session in the final Test of the series which they had already lost, a father and his twins were seen sitting in a dusty dugout. Seeing an Indian journalist they started talking. It turned out that Koos Jansen, the father of two budding fast bowlers, had driven an hour and a half from Potchefstroom to be at Wanderers.
India’s Virat Kohli bats in the nets before the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi.
Two lanky 17-year-old players, incredibly tall for their age, wearing identical maroon tracks, had not slept the entire night, dreaming of bowling to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He played for his school team but had the ‘look and feel’ of potential international players. The taller of the two was Marco and the other was Duane. The father was a rugby player who gave up rugby after injury at the age of 38 and pushed his sons into cricket because of their strong physique. Choosing fast bowling was an easy option. Since mother was a reputed netball player, she had talent for the game.
Their big day at the India nets did not unfold the way the brothers had imagined. By noon, Marco and Duane were looking pale. India had a lot of fast bowlers on that tour. With Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini missing, the net-bowlers sat twiddling their thumbs.
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The Jensen boys were simply to bring balls which the Indian batsmen would hit on the nearby rugby field. Marco once tried to stop the miss-hit but failed. Nothing was going his way. Marco will soon go to his father and make a face. Caring parents will ask him to immerse himself in the experience. The boy wasn’t buying that optimism. As the Indian batsmen started moving towards the main stadium, he sat dejected, the tragedy of missing the chance to bowl to his hero written on his face.
17-year-old Marco bowls to Kohli at the Wanderers nets. Gets “Well Bold” Compliment
Test debut in Centurion. In international cricket, Kohli was out on the first ball bowled.
Led South Africa to a historic 2-0 Test series win over India. Scored 94 runs on 91 balls
ODI series in Ranchi. Marco now faces South Africa’s leading new-ball bowler Kohli
The performance of the ODI series could decide his future for the 2027 World Cup. Marco described this as his “highest obstacle”.
Fast bowlers looking to conquer the final frontier – dismissing Kohli in the ODI format
Indian Express InfogenIE
a compliment and a photo
That’s when Kohli decided he wanted to bat more. The assistant coach looked at the net bowlers and shouted – Is there a left-arm fast bowler? The Jansen brothers immediately jumped out of the dug-out and were soon bowling to Kohli. Marco used to defeat the master batsman many times. Kohli would shake his head and say “Well bowled”. He would run more, bowl faster but would soon get tired.
Marco Johnson of South Africa bowls the ball on day three of the second cricket Test match between India and South Africa in Guwahati, India, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
As soon as Kohli finished his training, the father shouted – “Boys, take a picture with this great man.” Kishore was reluctant but eventually gathered courage and approached Kohli. A member of the Indian support staff team will take the photograph. The taller of the twins will WhatsApp the photojournalist. As shy as Marco was when he received man of the match after the Guwahati Test last week, he will be more than willing to share his experience of bowling to Kohli. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said.
How wrong was he or did the young boy underestimate his potential? Three years later, in 2021, India again toured South Africa. By now Marco had made rapid progress and was part of the South African Test team. He will debut in the first test in Centurion.
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Kohli is still the captain but is not the same batsman as before. His last Test century was two years ago. Marco did not get a chance to bowl to Kohli in the first innings. In the second, Marco was on top of the bowling to the legend who called him ‘well bowled’ at the Wanderers net.
In a dramatic coincidence, Marco dismissed Kohli on his very first ball. It was a typical Kohli dismissal – caught by the left-arm seamer while attempting to hit the ball at an away angle. He will give Kohli a chance twice in Test and once in T20 match. In the ODI, he has bowled 11 balls to the Indian star without success.
With Kohli batting at No. 3 and Marco, South Africa’s new-ball head, the fascinating duel continues with a compelling back story.
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