Marco Jansen is ready to embrace a new responsibility for the Proteas as he prepares to take on a leadership role in South Africa’s pace attack during the upcoming ODI series against Australia.
With Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi unavailable, Jansen will enter the series as one of the more established members of a bowling group that also includes Gerald Coetzee and Corbin Bosch.
For the 26-year-old, it represents an unfamiliar but exciting opportunity.
“Obviously, those two not being a part of the squad is a bit of a loss, I would say. They’re two obviously world-class bowlers and especially in South African conditions, they know how to bowl in these conditions.
“They know how to get the most out of the ball on a particular day. And for me personally, it sort of feels like I’m going to have to take that leadership role. I sort of have to try and lead from the front.
“It’s probably going to be my first time taking up such a role. So I’m quite excited for that. And I’m looking forward to sort of see what I can also do if put in such a role.”
What leadership looks like to Jansen
Jansen’s understanding of leadership has been shaped partly by playing alongside Rabada and Ngidi.
Rather than viewing his new responsibility simply as providing tactical instructions, Jansen believes an experienced bowler can have an important role in calming the situation when a match begins moving away from the bowling side.
“I think leadership, I think for me personally, it looks like, and I’m only basing that off of playing with KG and Lungi and all those guys.
“They sort of, when things go sideways or when things are tough, especially in the field, they sort of have a way of calming things down and slowing things down. So I think that’s probably what I’ll be trying to do.”
Jansen believes there are moments when constantly providing a bowler with more information can have the opposite effect.
“Because the last thing you want when you’re struggling in an over, for example, or at the death and the guys are flying, I think the last thing you need is someone just giving solutions and just saying, do this, do that, do this or that.
“So I think it’s important to realise and to pick up the moments where a bowler probably needs a bit of time to try and slow things down and just ask one or two simple questions. Probably what’s the plan here or how are we going to get this guy off strike?
“Sort of just trying to slow things down, slow the game or slow the momentum down for them a little bit.”
For Jansen, much of the tactical work has already been completed before the players walk onto the field.
“We know what plans we want to do. We know what balls we want to bowl. We know what fields we want to set.
“So all those things, all those structures are already in place. I think on game day, it’s all about how to get the guys in a position or in a space of mind where they can go out, they can execute their game plans and sort of just express themselves and get the best out of them.”
Matching Australia’s intensity
That leadership will be tested against an Australian side Jansen expects to impose themselves from the opening ball.
He believes the experience throughout Australia’s squad and their familiarity with high-level cricket around the world gives them a clear understanding of how they want to play.
“They know how they want to play, they know their brand or their style of playing and their mentality is sort of like they try and be on you from the first ball and they try and impose themselves onto the opposition, whether it’s with a bat or with a ball.”
Jansen believes South Africa cannot afford to retreat when Australia increase the pressure.
“I think how to counter or not really counter that is sort of like trying to match their intensity or match their mentality or their body language, if I can say it like that.
“Because if you back down or if you shy away, then it’s very easy for them to get more on top of you or even get further ahead in the game, if that makes sense.
“So sort of like matching their intensity or sort of having a similar mindset or mental approach as them.”
Ultimately, however, Jansen believes the contest will still come down to execution.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to the skills on the day and who executes whatever they want to do the best.”
Jansen feeling good after disrupted preparation
Jansen’s own preparation for the series has not been straightforward.
His planned bowling build-up was interrupted by illness before his recent first-class appearance, leaving him with only a few days to prepare.
“My build-up to that four-day game or first-class game didn’t go as planned.
“I planned to bowl at least like three or two weeks before and then unfortunately got sick. I was on antibiotics for like a week and a half or two weeks. So that sort of cut my preparation short.
“So before that four-day game, I only had three days of prep, felt heavily undercooked. But in the match, I felt good. My timing felt good.
“My body felt good.”
As the match progressed, Jansen began to rediscover his bowling rhythm.
“On the third day, I bowled like a nine or ten over spell where I felt 100% good. I felt nice. Rhythm was good.
“And then going into this series, it’s sort of a little bit of that. But on the back of that four-day game, I feel very good from a rhythm and a bowling perspective.
“For me, it’s just now all about ticking off a few boxes in terms of like yorkers, slowballs, all those kind of stuff.
“Just ticking away on those things.”
The possibility of playing alongside Duan
The series could also produce a special moment for the Jansen family.
Marco’s twin brother, Duan, has worked his way into the Proteas setup following his performances in Namibia, creating the possibility of the brothers representing South Africa together.
Marco admitted that having Duan around the national setup still feels unusual.
“It’s a bit strange.
“Because he and I, apart from the fact that we were together a few years ago at North West, we probably only played in the same team and practiced together at school last. It’s a bit strange, but it’s nice and strange.”
Having watched Duan’s journey closely, Marco believes his brother is now far more settled in his own game.
“After how he played in Namibia, I’m very, very proud of him and very happy for him. Because I’m obviously his brother. I know what he’s capable of.
“I know what he can do. He’s struggled a bit in the beginning of his career. But I think he’s now in a place where I think he’s in a good place.
“And he’s comfortable with his game. He’s confident in his game. He knows what he can do.”
The prospect becomes even more meaningful if they were to play together in Potchefstroom, where the brothers attended school.
“Yeah, that would be special.
“I mean, to play any game for the Proteas together would be special. But I think if it were to happen in Potch as well, that’ll be even more special. Obviously, we grew up close by Potch or near Potch and obviously went to high school in Potch.
“So yeah, if it pans out like that, it’ll be awesome. But we know we do the same skill, basically. So yeah, we’re just going to take it as it comes.
“If that opportunity presents itself, you better believe that we’re going to definitely make the most of it and enjoy it as much as we can.”
Life on the road
Jansen also reflected on the reality of spending significant periods away from home while playing franchise and international cricket around the world.
For him, living out of a suitcase isn’t the difficult part.
“Yeah, you guys are going to laugh. I live out that same suitcase at home as well. I don’t even pack it out. So yeah, that’s a little bit of inside info.”
What he does miss is family life.
“I grew up in a family household where we’re all together, used to having dinners together, birthday parties together, weekends together, evenings together, like all those kind of stuff.
“So I think the traveling aspect of things, me or myself being away from home, being away from my family, my people, my friends, I think that sort of gets to, I think, any person.”
Despite that sacrifice, there is little doubt about whether Jansen would choose the same lifestyle again.
“Other than that, it’s really awesome. I play cricket, I travel the world. It’s fun playing against the best cricketers in the world.
“It’s just sort of that sort of thing where it’s like you miss home.”
Asked whether he would do it again, his answer was immediate.
“100%.”
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