Q&A with Marco Jansen

Khalid Mohidin interviewed Marco Jansen for an exclusive Q&A.

Was cricket always a career path you wanted to follow?

Yes, since I was a little boy I always wanted to play cricket as a profession.

When did things start to take off in your career, where you thought “wow, things are really happening for me”?

When I started playing for the Dragons and SA U19, that’s when I thought to myself “if I use the opportunities I get then my dream could come true.”

You stood out to me at Khaya Majola Week 2018-19. What do you think helped you have such a successful tournament?

I didn’t perform as I wanted in the first two days except for the 5-for on the first day and on the third day our coach [Jimmy Kgamadi] called me aside and told me that I am better with the bat and that’s when I scored a century off 66 balls, if it weren’t for coach Jimmy I wouldn’t have performed as well as I did.

What differentiates you from other cricketers?

The first thing that comes to mind is my height *laughs* and the fact that I’m left-handed.

Talking about your height, how tall are you?

2.06 metres

Do you see yourself as a batting or bowling all-rounder?

Bowling all-rounder but I really want to be a proper all-rounder

You went from Coke week to SA U19 to SA Emerging, what do you think was the reason for your quick rise?

Hard work and dedication.

What’s next for you? What are your short-term goals?

My short-term goals are just to keep working hard and to give my best in every opportunity when I walk out to the park.

What did you learn from Shukri Conrad in the short time you worked with him?

I learned that I don’t need to change my game to a certain situation because the way I play my game [is unique]. My way is the reason I do my best so if I change the way I play I won’t get the results I want at the end of the day. That made sense to me.

What High School did you go to, and how did they help with your development?

Potchefstroom Gymnasium, they gave me the opportunity and exposure to play against good players and to improve my game.

What is your main goal? Everyone says playing for the Proteas, but besides that what else inspires you to want to play at the highest level?

My main goal is to just play the game I love to the best of my ability. I never started playing this game because of the money, I started playing cricket because I love it and it gives me joy.

Franchise wise, have you been offered any contracts? Where would you like to play? Or is your focus on playing for your province first?

Yes, I have signed with the Knights for the season coming up.

Photo: Ranjith Peralam/Kerala Cricket Association