Jacques Kallis Calls Marco Jansen a Premium All-Rounder After Strong Batting Performance

South African legend Jacques Kallis has declared Marco Jansen a “premium all-rounder” in the making after the 25-year-old’s blistering transformation with the bat over the past year. Speaking to Indian media in an SA20 interaction on Tuesday, Kallis praised the left-armer’s rapid evolution, pointing to his counter-attacking 80 off 39 balls in the first ODI against India on Sunday and a gritty fifty in the second Test at Guwahati as proof that Jansen has cracked the code to consistent run-scoring at the highest level.

“He’s had a massive year, hasn’t he? He’s always had the potential; it was just a matter of figuring his game out. He’s obviously figured it out now and is getting a good balance,” Kallis said. “With the strides he’s made with the bat, he’s now a premium all-rounder. That’s exciting for South Africa because we haven’t had someone who can genuinely influence games with both bat and ball since… well, since myself, I suppose,” the 1999 Wisden Cricketer of the Century added with a smile.

Jansen’s numbers back the hype. Since January 2025, he has scored over 900 international runs at an average above 40 and a strike rate touching 110 across formats, including three fifties in his last five innings against India alone. His 97-run eighth-wicket partnership with Matthew Breetzke in Ranchi nearly pulled off a record chase of 350, while his 39-ball 80—laced with seven fours and three sixes—was the fastest ODI fifty by a South African No. 8 or lower.

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With the ball, Jansen remains a towering threat at 6’10”, routinely touching 145 kph and extracting vicious bounce. His 18 wickets in the ongoing India series (across Tests and ODIs) have come at under 25, reinforcing his status as the Proteas’ spearhead alongside Kagiso Rabada. Kallis believes this rare blend of left-arm pace and destructive lower-order hitting now places Jansen in the same conversation as modern greats like Ben Stokes and Jason Holder.

For South Africa, Jansen’s rise could not be better timed. With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon and the team rebuilding after a transitional phase, a genuine all-rounder capable of turning matches single-handedly fills a void that has existed since Kallis himself retired in 2014. As the lanky all-rounder prepares for the second ODI in Raipur on Wednesday, the cricketing world is quickly learning that Marco Jansen is no longer just a bowler who can bat—he’s a match-winner who happens to do both at an elite level.

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