Marco Jansen is one of cricket’s most interesting players. He’s a tall, fast bowler who can destroy batting lineups, but his height also creates unique challenges. In the second Test in Guwahati, we saw both sides of him. He bowled amazingly well but also showed some weaknesses, which makes him such an interesting talent for South Africa. He took six wickets for 48 runs and smashed a quick 93 with seven huge sixes. Jansen showed again that he can be a game-changer, either in a good way or a bad way.
Jansen, standing tall at 2.08 meters, has the kind of bounce, angle, and tricky delivery that fast bowlers crave. But he joked at a press conference that he sometimes wishes he were shorter. He explained that because of his height, what seems like a perfect delivery can sometimes go too high, missing the off stump completely. Comparing himself to Kagiso Rabada, he said the same ball he bowls would clip the top of the off stump if bowled by someone shorter. But on fast, bouncy pitches like the one in Guwahati, Jansen is a handful. He got some scary bounce, rattled the batters, and forced errors, with most of his wickets coming from deliveries that were shorter than usual.
That dismissal of Ravindra Jadeja just showed how dangerous he is. The ball came in at a sharp angle, bounced higher than expected, hit the batter’s shoulder, and went off the bat to slip. Only a bowler as tall and skilled as Jansen could bowl that kind of unplayable ball. His wickets messed up India’s innings, putting them behind by 288 runs and giving South Africa control of the Test. The fielders caught well, including a fantastic catch by Aiden Markram, running from second slip, which made Jansen’s bowling even more valuable.
Jansen did more than just bowl well. The day before, he turned things around with his batting, hitting seven sixes for a quick 93 off 91 balls. This got South Africa’s batting going and really changed the game’s direction. It was a shame he missed getting his first Test century, getting out in a way that clearly bothered him. He went back to the hotel and called almost all his family to vent. His batting partner, Senuran Muthusamy, noticed he was nervous and just told him to breathe, which helped Jansen stay calm during their time together.
Even with those standout plays, it’s clear he’s been carrying a heavy load. Rabada’s injury and Ngidi’s absence meant Jansen and Mulder were pretty much the whole pace attack. Jansen said he felt the pressure, especially with Rabada out, but he handled it well, seeing it as his chance to really make a difference in a match. And in Guwahati, he showed just what he could do—bowling great, smashing runs, and showing he’s crucial to the team when they’re missing key guys.
Jansen’s career is full of fascinating contradictions. His height helps him a lot, but it also creates problems. He bats with confidence, but he can also get nervous. He’s strong, but his performance can be inconsistent. When he bowls well, he’s hard to play against, but he always needs to adjust. It makes him risky but also exciting to watch. He reminded everyone that playing Test cricket is tough. Sometimes you fail, and other times you do great. In Guwahati, Marco Jansen showed everyone how amazing it can be when things go right.