Full Name: Marco Jansen
Nickname: MJ
Date of Birth: May 1, 2000
Age: 24 years (as of April 2025)
Place of Birth: Klerksdorp, North West Province, South Africa
Nationality: South African
Religion: Christianity
Profession: Professional Cricketer
Batting Style: Left-handed
Bowling Style: Left-arm fast-medium
Role in Team: Bowling All-rounder
Domestic Teams: North West, Warriors, Eastern Province
IPL Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad (2022–present)
Jersey Number: 70
Height: 6’8” (203 cm)
Net Worth: Estimated $3–4 million USD (₹25–33 crore INR approx.)
Early Life and Background
On May 1, 2000, Marco Jansen was born in the South African city of Klerksdorp, which is located in the North West Province. His twin brother, Duan Jansen, is also a professional cricket player, and he was raised in a sports household. Their careers were greatly influenced by their father, Koos Jansen, who saw Marco’s potential as a fast bowler at the age of nine and bowled with tremendous velocity.
Marco was an opening batsman at first, but as a teenager, his large stature and innate agility helped him transition into a left-arm fast bowler. He became a distinctive and dangerous threat as he grew larger, finally reaching 6’8″. His bowling started to extract acute bounce and movement. He advanced through the school and regional cricket rankings rather quickly.
Domestic Career
After making his List A debut for North West in the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge in 2017–18, Marco quickly made appearances in domestic First-Class and T20 competitions. After joining the Warriors, he had his breakthrough season and began to establish himself as a true all-around player.
Selectors were pleased early on by Jansen’s lower-order batting abilities and his ability to stroke the ball and keep control. He has established himself as a reliable bowling all-rounder by playing a significant part for Eastern Province in South Africa’s domestic championships.
His local achievements earned him a spot on the South Africa A team, and he further strengthened his cause for a national call-up by playing well on their 2021 tour of India.
IPL Career
Marco Jansen made his debut against Royal Challengers Bangalore after signing with the Mumbai Indians for the 2021 Indian Premier League season. He instantly attracted notice with his speed and bounce after taking two important wickets in that contest.
Later, Sunrisers Hyderabad paid ₹4.2 crore to buy him at the 2022 IPL auction. Jansen established himself as a key member of SRH’s bowling assault. Among his greatest IPL stats is a game-winning 3/25 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. He continued to provide crucial spells in the powerplay and death overs in the 2023 and 2024 Indian Premier League.
He was a useful weapon in the high-stakes IPL contests because of his height, speed, and unusual angle as a left-arm seamer. Marco Jansen is still an essential member of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s lineup as of IPL 2025.
International Career
On December 26, 2021, Marco Jansen played his first Test match for South Africa at Centurion against India. Taking 19 wickets in the series and challenging the best Indian batsmen with his bounce and speed, he had an incredible start.
Career Highlights:
- Test matches: more than 20 appearances, more than 75 wickets at a less than 25 average.
- ODIs: He took 17 wickets in the 2023 ODI World Cup, making him a vital element of South Africa’s team.
- T20Is: Well-known for his lower-order power hitting and death bowling.
Jansen is an essential all-format player for South Africa because of his outstanding accomplishments in all formats. He is now a top-tier bowling all-rounder who frequently provides balance with both bat and ball, much as Jacques Kallis did in previous generations.
Playing Style
As a left-arm fast-medium bowler, Marco Jansen depends on length variation, bounce, and seam movement. He is especially hazardous on hard or bouncy courses because of his lofty body, which enables him to produce sharp bounce from a good length. He bowls steadily between 140 and 145 km/h.
Jansen has demonstrated the potential to make explosive cameos as a lower-order hitter, frequently changing the pace of white-ball games. Additionally, he has demonstrated his ability to hold his own with the bat by playing crucial innings in Test matches.
For his stature, he is a quick fielder, particularly in the outfield and slips, and his athleticism improves all three areas of the game.
Personal Life
The off-field image of Marco Jansen is one of composure and humility. In Klerksdorp, he hails from a close-knit family and has a unique affinity with his twin brother, Duan Jansen, who is also a professional cricket player. Their path is a unique one in international cricket because the two frequently train together and encourage one another to grow better.
Marco leads a calm life and is mostly interested in cricket. Fitness and outdoor pursuits are very important to him. He doesn’t discuss his personal connections, yet he frequently travels and hangs out with close friends and family.
Jansen is respected for his professionalism, modesty, and ability to remain calm under duress in addition to his cricket prowess. He mentors young cricket players in his hometown as a way to give back to his origins.
Legacy & Impact
Many people consider Marco Jansen to be one of the most thrilling fast-bowling all-rounders in contemporary cricket. Even though he is only 24, he has already had a big impact on South Africa’s comeback in all forms, particularly in the years after Steyn, Morkel, and Phillips.
He has demonstrated his ability to excel at the highest levels with his performances in important competitions like the 2023 ODI World Cup and his steady play in the IPL. Jansen embodies the brave, vibrant, and multi-talented new generation of South African cricket.
He is a rare and important commodity in international cricket because of his unusual skill set, particularly as a bounced left-arm seamer. Marco Jansen has the potential to rank among South Africa’s greatest fast bowling all-round players if he keeps improving.
