New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) Set to spearhead South Africa’s fast-bowling unit in the upcoming ODI series against Australia, lanky left-arm fast bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen said he is eager to take on the added responsibility in the absence of injured stalwarts Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.
“Obviously those two (Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada) not being a part of the squad is a bit of a loss, I’d say. They are two obviously world-class bowlers and they know how to bowl especially in South African conditions.
“When things go tough, especially on the field, they have a way of calming things down. That’s probably what I’ll be trying to do. Personally it feels like I am going to have to take that leadership role, it is probably going to be my first time taking up such a role and I am actually looking forward to see what I can also do if put in such a role,” Jansen told reporters on Monday.
The three-match ODI series against Australia gets underway on September 24. “Obviously they’re a squad full of very experienced guys who play around the world in various leagues and stuff like that. So they know how they want to play, they know their brand, and their mentality is to 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.
“I think how to counter that is 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 or a similar mindset or mental approach as them,” added Jansen.
Following the white-ball leg, South Africa will host Australia for a crucial three-match Test series, which is a part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). “It is a nice structure. It makes you feel like every Test match actually means something and there is a bigger role to a Test match. We have ten Test matches left until the final and then you are trying to work out on how much do you need to win, if you lose what needs to happen,” said Jansen.
He further pointed out how the point system alters match preparation when qualification scenario demands victories. “If you need to win two out of two Test matches, your preparation is always going to be a lot more intense than usual because you know what’s at stake. It is almost like an extended version of a World Cup, which is quite nice,” he said.
Quizzed about the possibility of a rematch of the 2025 WTC Final against Australia in 2027, given both teams currently occupy the top spots in the cycle standings, Jansen insisted the squad remains focused on immediate assignments.
“World Test Championship is almost like an extended version of a World Cup. For now, we are just focussed on winning every Test match and then closer to the time, we will know exactly what we have to do and need to do to get into that final again,” he concluded.
–IANS
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