![Marco Jansen Reacts To Dale Steyn's Praise [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1792658107382_MarcoJansenDaleSteyn.jpg?type=hq)
Marco Jansen Reacts To Dale Steyn's Praise [Source: AFP]
South African fast bowler Marco Jansen had a heartwarming reaction to Dale Steyn’s comment, in which he referred to him as the best player in the world. Jansen earned this praise after a sensational performance against Australia.
In the second Test against Australia, South Africa posted 425 runs in the first innings. But before the Aussies could even think of a comeback, Jansen whipped his magic with the ball.
Marco Jansen breaks silence on Dale Steyn’s praise
Marco Jansen made a mockery of Australia’s batting lineup by picking up a five-wicket-haul for 33 runs in 11 overs. He dismissed the likes of Travis Head, Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey to bowl out Australia for 99 runs only.
Meanwhile, after his remarkable spell, former South African speedster Dale Steyn referred to Jansen as the ‘best player in the world.’ Reacting to this, Marco Jansen said that Steyn’s expectations somehow put him under pressure.
“I know Dale really, really well. We went fishing once or twice, and we're really good friends and stuff like that off the field as well. So to see that, sort of for me personally, it puts me a bit under pressure,” Jansen said in the pre-match show.
But at the same time, Jansen admitted that Dale Steyn’s praise means a lot to him. It’s nothing less than an honour and an achievement that he would cherish for the rest of his life.
“But also it's really nice to hear that someone who's a legend of the game, who did what he did while he was playing, is making comments like that. It's really a feather in my cap, and I really take that to heart as well, which is nice,” he added.
Marco Jansen’s all-round magic rattles Australia
Interestingly, Dale Steyn used the word ‘player’ and not ‘bowler’ in his praise for Marco Jansen for a reason. Jansen is no longer just a leading fast bowler for South Africa. He is a genuine all-rounder.
And Jansen showed a glimpse of his all-round brilliance in the second Test against Australia. In the first innings, he scored 85 off 100 balls when South Africa were struggling at 110/6.
He built a 132-run partnership with skipper Temba Bavuma to rescue South Africa from what could have been a humiliating collapse. And later, Jansen ripped apart the Australian batting unit with a 5-fer.
So overall, Marco Jansen proved that he is one of the most valuable all-rounders in Test cricket currently. He also forced Dale Steyn to stand up and take notice of his brilliance.
