Tue Nov 25 01:40:00 UTC 2025: Jansen’s Six-Wicket Haul Puts South Africa in Commanding Position Against India

ACA Stadium, India – South Africa’s Marco Jansen rebounded from a near-century heartbreak to deliver a devastating bowling performance, claiming 6/48 on Day 3 of the second Test against India and propelling his team into a dominant position.

Jansen, visibly dejected after being dismissed for 93 on Day 2, just shy of his maiden Test century, revealed his strategy for overcoming the disappointment. “Yesterday, when we went to the hotel, I was just trying to blow some steam off,” Jansen told reporters. “I called my family…Just to get all those feelings out.”

Despite the early wicket of KL Rahul by Keshav Maharaj, India seemed poised to build on their first-innings score. However, Simon Harmer’s twin strikes and Jansen’s subsequent demolition of the middle order, including key wickets of Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, and captain Rishabh Pant, flipped the script dramatically.

Speaking on the absence of Kagiso Rabada, Jansen said, “Not having KG definitely adds a bit of responsibility and pressure on myself and Mulder in particular…I just try and give my best every time I get the opportunity and try and put the team in a winning position.”

Jansen’s figures are the third-best by a South African bowler in a Test match in India, and coupled with his first-innings batting performance, have laid a strong foundation for South Africa to chase their first Test series win in India since 2000.

When asked about his nervous ninety dismissal, Jansen explained, “I was nervous when I had 20…I have never been in the 90s before in first-class cricket, never mind Test cricket. I was definitely nervous…I think, in retrospect, next time I’d rather get caught on the boundary than defending the ball, trying to push it to one.”

At the close of play, South Africa boasts a commanding 314-run lead with all ten wickets in hand, placing them firmly in control of the match and on track for a historic series victory.

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