'We saw someone like Shaun Pollock is a good example' - AB de Villiers backs Marco Jansen to become bowling all-rounder

Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers has said that emerging pacer Marco Jansen has got all the credentials of becoming a very accomplished bowling all-rounder like Shaun Pollock. De Villers has made this statement after Jansen was recently adjudged the International Cricket Council (ICC) Emerging Men’s Cricket of the Year 2022 for his outstanding all-round contributions last year.

Jansen registered 36 scalps to his name and also contributed with 234 runs with the bat in the year gone by to bag this prestigious award. The tall cricketer pipped the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Finn Allen and Ibrahim Zadran for this prize.

Marco Jansen has played very well: AB de Villers

“He has batted very well, he has played very well. He has had a fantastic couple of seasons. Once again another player who I have never heard of and all of a sudden in that one IPL season he rocked up and people told me he is a South African and I didn’t even know that,” said AB de Villiers while speaking on ESPNcricinfo.

“I do still believe he (Marco Jansen) is a bowling all-rounder. If he feels differently, great for him. He has got a fantastic opportunity to contribute with both bat and ball. I think of some of the best all-rounders in the world- (Ben) Stokes, Jack Kallis back in the day. There was nothing more rewarding for them to contribute with both skills”, he added.

“So obviously, you need to decide whether you are a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder. If I have to think of him (Jansen) in Test matches, then yes he can score some runs, but he is not going to be at the level of Jack Kallis when he is done. So, my opinion, a bowling all-rounder. Make sure your bowling is right up there, try and be the best in the world, but definitely work on your batting”, ‘Mr.360’ opined.

“We saw someone like Shaun Pollock is a good example. He is a bowling all-rounder, but, he came out to score a few Test hundreds. He contributed with the bat in hand in all the formats of the game. So, that will be important for Marco. He needs to make sure that his top skill is still in place and he tries to be the best in the world with that”, the batting icon further added.

Recently, Jansen had scored a blistering 27-ball 66 representing the Sunrisers Eastern Cape against the MI Cape Town in the ongoing SA20 2023. His standout performance during that knock wreaked havoc on opposition skipper Rashid Khan

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