Marco Jansen has delivered an outstanding all-round performance to put South Africa in a strong position in the second Test against Australia at St George's Park in Gqeberha, as the hosts look to level the series after their heavy defeat in Durban.
Jansen scored a valuable 85 off 100 balls in South Africa's first innings, claimed five wickets for 33 runs to dismantle Australia's batting line-up, and contributed in the field as the Proteas mounted an impressive comeback. His efforts have helped South Africa move within six wickets of victory heading into the final day.
The all-rounder's performance has been central to South Africa's resurgence after they suffered a 214-run defeat in the opening Test. However, Jansen believes resilience in Test cricket is not simply about recovering from difficult situations but also about maintaining discipline and making the right decisions consistently.
"Test cricket is all about resilience, coupled with consistency. It's very easy to let the game leak. For us, it's just all about trying to do the right thing for as long as possible," Jansen said after the fourth day's play.
"Resilience isn't always if your back's against the wall. Resilience can also be making good decisions and just sticking to a plan."
Jansen and Bavuma Rescue South Africa
South Africa found themselves under considerable pressure early in their first innings after slipping to 110 for six, raising concerns that they could suffer another heavy defeat.
However, Jansen combined with captain Temba Bavuma to produce a crucial partnership that shifted the momentum in the hosts' favour. While Jansen contributed an aggressive 85, Bavuma played a defining innings built around patience and discipline, helping South Africa recover from a precarious position.
Jansen admitted that South Africa initially believed a total of 250 would be competitive, but the partnership allowed them to take advantage of the opportunity and build a stronger position.
"We knew we were going to have to bat well and get a decent score. At one stage, we thought 250 was going to be a good score. Luckily for us, we just capitalised," he said.
The left-hander also highlighted the importance of concentrating on each delivery rather than worrying about the broader match situation.
"As soon as you get too ahead of yourself, your mind's not where it should be," Jansen explained. "You think of how things might play out, but in fact you can only do what you can do with the present ball and then the next ball and the next ball. We did that really well."
Jansen Embraces His Role as an All-Rounder
With five Test half-centuries already to his name, Jansen has established himself as a valuable all-rounder for South Africa. His latest innings has further strengthened the argument that he could bat higher in the order in the future.
The 26-year-old believes his batting success is increasingly down to a positive mindset and greater confidence in his natural abilities.
"It's all about my mental approach. I'm not the most technically sound or beautiful-looking batter, but I know I can trust my hands," he said.
Jansen acknowledged that his innings involved a degree of fortune, including a top edge that fell safely and a pull shot that cleared the boundary for six. Nevertheless, his ability to combine attacking intent with calculated shot selection helped South Africa build a competitive total.
Rabada's Return Boosts South Africa's Bowling Attack
Jansen's impact with the ball was equally significant, with his five-wicket haul helping South Africa take control of the contest.
The availability of pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada also strengthened the bowling attack, allowing Jansen to operate with greater freedom. Unlike in the opening Test, where South Africa struggled to maintain pressure, the visitors' batters were challenged by a more disciplined approach in Gqeberha.
Jansen used his height effectively, mixing shorter deliveries with a fuller length that forced Australian batters to make difficult decisions outside off stump.
"I thought I hit a good length," he said. "Here, the ball maybe got a bit more bounce or a bit more seam and fortunately for me, it just got the edge."
He also praised his teammates for their contributions in the field, highlighting outstanding catches from Simon Harmer and Aiden Markram.
"It's one thing to bowl a certain way, but it's another thing to be backed up by the fielders as well," Jansen said.
South Africa Close in on Series-Levelling Victory
South Africa are now in a promising position to secure victory in the second Test and take the series to Cape Town level at 1-1. However, Australia remain a threat, with Travis Head unbeaten on 87 as the visitors continue to fight for survival.
The final day's play is expected to be crucial, with South Africa needing six more wickets to complete the victory while Australia will look to extend their resistance and keep their hopes alive.
Jansen believes the series has demonstrated the quality and competitiveness of both teams, with discipline and consistency proving decisive in determining the outcome of each match.
"In the first Test, they played the short ball a lot better than what we did. They bowled a lot better. They batted better. In this Test, we probably played the short ball a bit better. And we bowled in better areas for a longer period," he said.
With Jansen delivering a match-defining performance and South Africa firmly back in contention, the Proteas will hope to finish the job on the final day and set up a decisive series contest in Cape Town.