Jansen excited for pace leadership role for Australia series

Lanky speedster Marco Jansen is set to step up and lead South Africa's pace attack for the upcoming ODI series against Australia, which begins on September 24, following injuries to key fast bowlers.

Jansen acknowledged the challenge of missing senior teammates while embracing the extra responsibility.

"Obviously those two (Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada) not being a part of the squad is a bit of a loss, I'd say," he said.

"They are two obviously world-class bowlers and they know how to bowl especially in South African conditions.

"When things go tough, especially on field, they have a way of calming things down. That's probably what I'll be trying to do.

"Personally it feels like I am going to have to take that leadership role, it is probably going to be my first time taking up such a role and I am actually looking forward to see what I can also do if put in such a role."

South Africa will also take on Australia in a three-match ICC World Test Championship series starting October 9.

Speaking on the format of the WTC cycle, Jansen said, "It is a nice structure. It makes you feel like every Test match actually means something and there is a bigger role to a Test match."

"We have 10 Test matches left until the final and then you are trying to work out on how much do you need to win, if you lose what needs to happen.

"If you need to win two out of two Test matches, your preparation is always going to be a lot more intense than usual because you know what's at stake.

"It is almost like an extended version of a World Cup, which is quite nice."

When asked if he expects a repeat of the 2025 WTC Final given that South Africa and Australia currently occupy the top two spots in the standings, Jansen said, "For now, we are just focussed on winning every Test match and then closer to the time, we will know exactly what we have to do and need to do to get into that final again."

Meanwhile, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad has given the latest update on Rabada's fitness, with the fast bowler working through rehabilitation on a right hamstring injury sustained during South Africa's training in mid-August ahead of the all-important ICC World Test Championship series against Australia.

The injury already ruled Rabada out of this month's ODI series against Australia, leaving his availability for the Tests in question ahead of South Africa's home summer.

However, while speaking to ICC, coach Conrad has provided a positive update on his pace spearhead's recovery.

"It's going quite nicely, the rehab and the programs that he's on. I'd be very surprised if we didn't see him during the Test series," Conrad said.

"He's such a huge player for us, but he seems to reserve his best for Australia. So I'm pretty confident that we'll see KG (Rabada). There's still a little bit of work to be done."

South Africa's three-Test series against Australia, starting 9 October, comes just over a year after the two sides met in the final of the 2023-25 WTC, which the Proteas won by five wickets at Lord's.

South Africa currently sit second in the WTC 2025-27 standings behind leaders Australia, with matches at Kingsmead in Durban, St George's Park in Gqeberha and Newlands in Cape Town. The series could be pivotal in the two sides’ final fate in the ongoing cycle and the Proteas will be hoping their chief bowling threat will be ready in time for action.

Rabada has taken 58 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia at an average of 21.39, including a nine-wicket match haul in the 2025 WTC Final at Lord's and would be gunning to continue that form against their closest rivals on the WTC points table.

Conrad added that a final call would come in soon, once Rabada has had a further stretch of treatment, with the team unwilling to risk his fitness given the demanding summer ahead.

"I think we'll obviously have a really good idea close this week sometime, when he'll have had a few weeks of intensive treatment. By all accounts, things are looking really good," he added.

"But KG is an absolute superstar. He's a real specimen and he tends to recover quicker than the rest do. I'm very optimistic but I'm led by the medical team so my optimism counts for nought when it comes to medical."

Asked whether the Proteas could cope without him, Conrad pointed to recent series wins without other key players.

"You don't replace someone like KG at the drop of a hat,” he noted. “But I think we've shown in the past and this is what this team has really been about, that whoever needs to step up is able to do that.

"Yes, conditions are different here, but we did some wonderful things in India without KG. Even in Pakistan without our best player and best batter in Temba (Bavuma), we managed to find a way and I think that's the hallmark of the side.

"So obviously having KG will be massive for us but I'm pretty confident that if he weren't around, we've got enough stocks for guys to step up yet."

Proteas Men’s Squad Dafabet ODI Series against Australia

Temba Bavuma (captain), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Duan Jansen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs.

Fixtures

First Dafabet ODI - Thursday, 24 September at 10am @ Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban

Second Dafabet ODI - Sunday, 27 September at 10am @ DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Third Dafabet ODI - Wednesday, 30 September at 1.30pm @ NWC Oval, Potchefstroom