NEW DELHI: Marco Jansen's rapid rise as a genuine fast-bowling all-rounder has handed South Africa a rare two-in-one weapon at a time when world cricket is struggling to find pacers who can influence games with both bat and ball.

Once seen mainly as a promising new-ball option, the 25-year-old left-armer has transformed into a player who can dictate sessions with his bowling and swing momentum with his batting, firmly cementing his place in South Africa's long-term plans across formats.

Bowling still his primary strength

While his all-round growth is impressive, Jansen's bowling remains his strongest suit - his steep bounce, natural angle across right-handers, and ability to find movement even on tired pitches have already produced several match-defining spells.

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His willingness to pitch the ball up and his sharper control have added new dimensions to his threat, nudging him into the leadership group of South Africa's pace attack. But it is his rapid improvement with the bat that has truly amplified his overall worth, providing the kind of balance the team has lacked for years.

Far from being an unpredictable tailender, Jansen now arrives at the crease with a defined approach, frequently pulling South Africa out of trouble or turning modest totals into match-winning ones.

"It's always nice to walk in when the top five are on a roll. I'm just watching the ball and playing it as it comes. At the moment it's working for me," Jansen said.

The Guwahati Epic: A career-defining knock

Jansen's strongest batting statement came in the recent Guwahati Test against India in November 2025, where he blasted a 91-ball 93 from No. 9 to drag South Africa out of a precarious situation.

Arriving at 334 for seven, he launched a fearless counterattack against a weary Indian bowling unit, hammering six fours and seven sixes. In the process, he came agonisingly close to becoming the first visiting No. 9 in more than sixty years to score a Test century on Indian soil.

His assault lifted South Africa to a formidable 489 - a total that shifted the course of the match and allowed their bowlers to control proceedings. The significance of the knock was amplified by the match situation and the fluency with which he scored on a slowing surface.

This was not an isolated burst. Jansen had earlier produced a gritty 59 at Wellington to lift South Africa from a precarious position and steer them to a competitive first-innings total.

Limited-overs impact growing rapidly

In limited-overs cricket, his cameos have carried increasing weight: a brisk 35-ball 42 against India in Gqeberha in a rain-revised ODI kept South Africa ahead of the DLS target, while his late hitting in the Kimberley ODI - where he scored 38 off 26 - pushed the team to a defendable score in a match they went on to win.

These contributions, though lower down the order, have regularly arrived at pressure moments, and underline why South Africa now view him as a genuine lower-order asset rather than a bowler who can bat.

How Jansen stacks up against other all-rounders

Stacked against the game's other contemporary fast-bowling all-rounders, Jansen's trajectory stands out. While someone like Cameron Green offers stronger batting numbers, he doesn't match Jansen's hostility with the ball.

India's Hardik Pandya's impact is limited by workload restrictions, and England great Ben Stokes - incomparable for influence - no longer bowls consistently.

Among specialists who can deliver with both speed and bounce, few possess the ceiling that Jansen currently projects.

The Road Ahead: Consistency the key

What keeps him firmly in the conversation for the best emerging all-rounder is his adaptability.

In Tests, he offers breakthroughs with both new and old ball while adding crucial runs.

In ODIs and T20Is, his ability to hit the deck and swing late, combined with clean hitting at No. 7 or 8, provides South Africa with balance and flexibility.

His challenge now will be to stitch together seasons of consistent returns with both bat and ball. If that happens, South Africa may well have in Jansen their most influential seam-bowling all-rounder since Jacques Kallis, albeit of a very different mould.

(With PTI Inputs)