Marco Jansen isn’t just tall for a fast bowler; he’s a real standout. At 2.08 meters, the South African all-rounder grabs your attention as soon as he walks onto the pitch. Interestingly, Jansen jokes that he’s sometimes envious of shorter bowlers. It might seem odd, but there’s some truth to it, capturing the pros and cons of his cricket skills.
In the current Test series, Jansen again showed how vital he is to South Africa’s success. His excellent 6/48 in the second Test really turned the game around for the Proteas. Because he’s so tall, he gets extra bounce and angles that give even good batters trouble. But he also says that his height means some balls go over the stumps, which a shorter bowler, such as Kagiso Rabada, could easily get on target.
When the pitch is quick and bouncy, Jansen is a difficult bowler to handle. His shorter deliveries were very dangerous, as he got all six wickets with balls that troubled India. The best part was the sharp, rising ball to Ravindra Jadeja, which forced him to defend it awkwardly, leading to an easy catch. That’s Jansen at his most dangerous.
South Africa took full advantage of his outstanding performance, leaving India far behind the score needed to avoid batting again right away. Even though South Africa didn’t make India bat again immediately, the game had already swung massively in their direction. Before, India looked good at 65 without losing any wickets, but Jansen’s strong performance, along with good catching and bad shot choices from the home team, totally changed things.
Jansen’s excellent bowling was just one part of what made him interesting as a cricketer, and his batting made him even more so. He blasted 93 runs, including seven huge sixes, that threw India off their game and showed how much damage he can do with a bat. It was clear he was bummed when he didn’t quite make his first Test century. He talked to his family back at the hotel to calm down after getting so close to such a significant achievement. His partner, Senuran Muthusamy, told him to take it easy, which helped him calm down during their important 97-run partnership—it was one of the key moments in the game.
Jansen is the first to say he felt the nerves as soon as he stepped up to bat. No matter if he was at 20-something or nearing 100, the tension was always there. Even so, he played one of the most important innings of his career. It’s this mix of being open about his struggles and displaying his talent that makes Jansen so fascinating to watch.
South Africa was already dealing with Kagiso Rabada’s absence when they went into the match, and Lungi Ngidi was only on standby. This meant Jansen had to step up, especially since Wiaan Mulder was the only other leading fast bowler in the lineup. But Jansen didn’t back down; he took on the extra pressure. He thinks of himself as more than just a bowler—he wants to be someone who can change the game, which is precisely what he did in Guwahati.
Disciplined cricket has been key on this pitch, and Jansen’s been central to South Africa’s wins with his batting and bowling. He’s proven he can handle the pressure, delivering big wickets and hits, and turning nervous moments into match-winning plays. His height, initially seen as a problem, is now both an advantage and something he has to work with—a real double-edged sword.