Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has praised Marco Jansen, South Africa’s tall fast bowler, for being super competitive. He believes Jansen could become one of the best all-rounders in Test cricket over the next few years. Jansen made a strong impression in the World Test Championship Final, teaming up with Kagiso Rabada to make life tough for Australia on the first day. While Rabada got the attention with a five-wicket haul, Jansen was impressive too, taking 3 wickets for 49 runs in 14 overs, including key players like Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head.
Ponting noted, “He’s pretty quiet and laid back. Nothing really seems to bother him. Whether he’s had a good day or a bad one, he stays the same.” Even after a finger injury on day two threatened to slow him down, Jansen proved he was fine by taking Labuschagne’s wicket shortly after. Ponting mentioned that Jansen’s competitive nature really shows when he’s on the field.
Having coached him in the IPL with Punjab Kings, Ponting is excited about what Jansen can achieve in the upcoming World Test Championship cycle, saying there are no limits to how far he can go as a player. “I think he’s going to be one of the best all-rounders in Test cricket in the next couple of years. I’ve really enjoyed working with him, and he’s a huge talent still at the start of his international career,” Ponting added.