![Marco Jansen named best cricketer in the world [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1792584843648_MarcoJansenSouthAfrica.jpg?type=hq)
Marco Jansen named best cricketer in the world [Source: AFP]
Just over a day after Marco Jansen's massive batting effort against Australia in Gqeberha, the all-rounder was back, impacting the match with the ball on Day 4. As the visitors looked to crawl back into the match, Jansen ran through their middle order and picked a five-wicket haul.
His all-round impact received plaudits from the media and fans, but former pacer Dale Steyn went a step further and called Jansen the best player in the world.
Steyn names Jansen as the best in the world
The big statement from South Africa's all-time highest wicket-taker in Tests came just after Jansen claimed his fifth five-wicket haul. The left-arm quick's 5/33 helped the Proteas bundle Australia for 99 runs and gain a 326-run lead, also enforcing a follow-on.
Steyn took note of Jansen's 85 off 100 on Day 3 and 5/33 on Day 4 and took to his Twitter/X account and labelled him as the best player in the world.
Notably, Steyn has always been one of the big admirers of what the 26-year-old brings to the table. The South African legend has several tweets praising Jansen, while also having termed the 6'8" pacer as a INR 10 crore player for the IPL, clearly showing his love for the fellow Proteas star.
Breakdown of Jansen's international stats
The 2000-born bowling allrounder brings immense value to any lineup he plays for, considering a frontline pacer, who can bat as well as he does is a rare commodity, considering the workload.
With the ball, Jansen now sits on 98 Test wickets in 23 Tests, at a brilliant average of 20.69, with five five-fers and the best figures of 7/13. Furthermore, he has 52 ODI wickets in 34 matches, coceding at just over 6 runs per over. Finally, he has 33 T20I scalps in 30 matches at an economy rate of 8.94, often bowling in the powerplay and death overs.
Batting at 8, Jansen has already shown his worth with the blistering 85, having also scored 93(91) in 2025 against India. He is work in progress with the bat, but has 770 runs in 25 innings and averages 25.66.
In white ball cricket, he has scored 647 ODI runs late in the innings, at a strike rate of 114.31 with three fifties, and 268 runs at a strike rate of 147.25, proving worth across formats. In a nutshell, Steyn's statement is not completely baseless and pretty much up for debate.
