New Delhi: Marco JohnsonHis evolution as a cricketer has been one of the great stories of the last year and a half. Apart from his impactful cameos with the bat at the bottom of the order, he has consistently led the charge with the ball for South Africa. i IPLhe has come into his own as a valuable player for Punjab Kings. It has been a remarkable rise for someone who took up cricket as a career at the age of just 17 after giving up rugby.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!At the age of 25, Johnson found his calling by bowling tough lengths across all formats. He has managed to remain unfazed by the chaotic world of T20 cricket, which demands different variations from the bowlers. Importantly, Australia’s Metronomic Josh Hazlewood He has been the inspiration behind his transformation as a cricketer.
“It doesn’t surprise me because Josh Hazlewood does exactly the same thing,” Johnson said in response to a question from TOI about his consistent ‘Test match’ length bowling, regardless of formats. “People ask the same question (about him),” Johnson said.“Josh also has variations. I have one or two variations as well. We are both tall bowlers but we bowl different lengths,” Johnson said. “The problem when I was younger was that I was trying to bowl the same length as the other boys,” he added. I didn’t realize that what I bring to the table is completely different. I have to find my own way to be effective. In the last year or so, I felt comfortable in my own skin.However, his role has changed in Punjab Kings. He can’t use the swing as a weapon because he can’t bowl with the new ball, so Johnson has to work on bowling with the old ball. The hard work paid off in the Test series in India last winter, when he thoroughly troubled the Indian batsmen. In the IPL too, his approach has been to look for wickets. “I’m used to taking the first or second over but I also know I have the ability to adapt,” Johnson said. “Coming in to do the third, fourth or sometimes fifth over is definitely a different approach.
