Johan Botha | thecricketlibrary.com

South Africa’s Johan Botha celebrates the wicket of England’s Ian Bell during the Third One Day International at The Brit Oval, London. PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Johan Botha is a cricketing journeyman who came through the ranks in South Africa representing his country in 5 Tests, 78 ODIs and 40 T20 Internationals.

The short format specialist, has plied his craft in franchise cricket around the world with stints in the IPL, BBL and CPL.

In this episode of the Cricket Library Podcast we will learn of where his passion for the game began, playing for South Africa in the u-19s World Cup, breaking into the South African ODI & Test teams, overcoming setbacks to return to the team and lead South Africa to a ODI Series win in Australia in 2009.

Johan also shares about his passion for long distance running and gives us an exclusive scoop into something he is training for at the moment.

Needless to say, he will select three people he would most like to have a net with and his selections are an interesting mix.

Please remember to subscribe to the Cricket Library Podcast on your favourite podcast provider and leave a review to help us to continue to share stories like this one from Johan Botha.

Johan Botha Career Stats

Competition	Test	ODI	T20I	FC
Matches	5	78	40	90
Runs scored	83	609	201	4,015
Batting average	20.75	19.03	18.27	31.61
100s/50s	0/0	0/0	0/0	1/27
Top score	25	46	34	109
Balls bowled	1,017	3,823	774	14,656
Wickets	17	72	37	220
Bowling average	33.70	40.50	22.24	32.28
5 wickets in innings	0	0	0	7
10 wickets in match	0	0	0	1
Best bowling	4/56	4/19	3/16	6/34
Catches/stumpings	3/–	36/–	17/–	63/–

Nikhil Kulkarni | Every Day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy | A Fan’s Journey – The Cricket Library

What does it mean to truly love cricket? In this episode of the Cricket Library Podcast, host Matt Ellis sits down with author and cricket tragic Nikhil Kulkarni to explore his deeply personal book, My Summer of Cricket. From a village in North Karnataka in India to the grand stadiums of Australia, Nikhil’s journey is one that will resonate with cricket lovers everywhere. This is a story of early morning radio commentaries, lifelong devotion, and the moments that define us as fans of the game. At the heart of the book is an extraordinary pilgrimage during the 2024–25 summer, where Nikhil attended every single day of the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, travelling between the Gabba, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Sydney Cricket Ground to follow one of cricket’s greatest rivalries. In this conversation, we explore: 🏏 Growing up with cricket in India and finding a new home in Australia 🏏 The emotional pull of the Border–Gavaskar Trophy 🏏 Witnessing Sachin Tendulkar’s final Test match 🏏 The stories, people and moments that make cricket more than just a game 🏏 How cricket connects cultures, generations, and communities To close the episode, Nikhil faces “The Final Over” — six quick-fire questions to finish the innings. If you’ve ever set an alarm for a 3am Test match, followed a series ball by ball, or felt cricket shape your life, this episode is for you. About Nikhil Kulkarni: Nikhil Kulkarni is a Sydney-based tech leader, community builder, and lifelong cricket tragic who has followed the game across India and Australia for over three decades. His debut book, My Summer of Cricket, chronicles the dramatic 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, blending match-day moments and personal reflections from thirty years of fandom. https://mysummerofcricket.com/