Jansen’s Power Surge Puts India Under Pressure in Guwahati
What a day it has been in Guwahati, and honestly, it felt like Marco Jansen decided this was his stage and everyone else was just visiting. The tall South African all-rounder has once again shown why he's becoming such a headache for India in Test cricket. Not only did he bring up yet another half-century against India—his fourth overall and his second versus this opposition—but he also joined some elite South African names like Mark Boucher, Brian McMillan, and Shaun Pollock in scoring multiple fifties against India while batting at No. 7 or lower. That’s not a list you fall into by accident.
India’s frustration was visible from the very beginning of the day. Across two sessions, just one wicket was picked up, and South Africa happily piled on runs at a brisk pace of over 4.3 an over. First came the 88-run stand between Senuran Muthusamy and Kyle Verreynne, and when that was finally broken, India would've hoped for some relief. Instead, Marco Jansen walked in and doubled the pain.
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Batting at No. 9 in this Test, he got going immediately. He has already smashed four sixes and three boundaries in his innings, carrying the kind of intent that forced India on the back foot. His partnership of 94 runs with Muthusamy pushed South Africa into complete control. By lunch on Day 2, they were sitting comfortably at 428 for 7, a position built on persistence, smart batting, and a whole lot of clean striking from Jansen.
And if the fifty wasn’t enough, Jansen also lit up the morning with a no-look six off Ravindra Jadeja—yes, a no-look six in a Test match. He simply stepped out, cleared the front leg, swung through the line, and sent the ball 84 metres over deep midwicket without even watching it travel. Moments like that don’t just get applause; they get replays.
As if that wasn’t dramatic enough, he even broke his bat—twice—while taking on Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah. Each time, he changed bats and continued the assault as if nothing had happened. South Africa couldn’t have asked for a better lower-order contribution, and Jansen couldn’t have timed this kind of performance any better, with the Proteas already holding a 1–0 series lead.
India haven’t conceded a home Test series to South Africa since 1999–2000, but right now, the visitors have one hand firmly on history. And Marco Jansen, with his fearless strokeplay and calm presence, has played a massive part in that shift of momentum.
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