The debate over the best cricketer in the world never ends. Every generation has its own favourites, and every fan has different reasons for choosing a player. Some fans value batters who score runs regularly. Others prefer bowlers who can take wickets against the strongest teams. Many also believe that all-rounders deserve more praise because they can help their teams with both bat and ball.
Even former players and experts have different opinions. Right now, one South African star has caught the attention of a legendary fast bowler. His recent performance against Australia makes this opinion even more interesting.
This All-Rounder is the Best Cricketer in the World Currently, As Per Dale Steyn
Marco Jansen is currently the best cricketer in the world.
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) October 21, 2026
Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn shared his opinion on X on October 21, 2026. His statement quickly caught people’s attention.
“Marco Jansen is currently the best cricketer in the world.”
Steyn made this comment after Jansen delivered an excellent all-round performance in the second Test between South Africa and Australia. The left-arm fast bowler scored 85 important runs and then took five wickets in Australia’s first innings.
Interestingly, former England captain Nasser Hussain had also recently called Harry Brook the best cricketer in the world. When a fan pointed out that Steyn and Hussain had different choices, Steyn replied with three words: “Harry don’t bowl.”
His response highlighted Jansen’s biggest strength. He can contribute much more than just batting.
Why Marco Jansen Adds So Much Value to South Africa
The best cricketer in the world does not always have to be the player who scores the most runs or takes the most wickets. A player’s total contribution can be just as important, especially when a team needs help in different areas.
Jansen gives South Africa three major strengths: batting, bowling and fielding.
As an all-rounder, he helps the team maintain a better balance. He can take important wickets, score valuable runs lower down the batting order and make useful contributions in the field. His presence also gives the captain more choices when planning the bowling attack.
This makes him especially valuable in Test cricket, where matches last several days and the situation can change at any time. A player who can perform different roles gives his team more ways to fight back.
However, Jansen’s value is not just about doing three different jobs. He has shown that he can make a difference when his team needs him the most.
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His Bowling Combines Height, Bounce and Aggression
Jansen’s height is one of his biggest strengths as a fast bowler. At around 6 feet 8 inches, he can make the ball bounce high and trouble batters. It becomes hard for them to defend or play shots comfortably.
He can also swing the ball and make it move off the pitch. His left-arm action and bowling angles create extra problems for batters. He does not depend only on pace to take wickets.
The mix of bounce and movement makes him dangerous. A batter expecting a full ball may suddenly face one that rises sharply.
Jansen showed his bowling strength against Australia. He took 5-33 as Australia were bowled out for just 99 runs. South Africa then enforced the follow-on and put Australia under huge pressure.
His Batting Can Change the Momentum of a Match
Jansen’s batting is another reason why Steyn’s opinion makes sense. His height helps him play powerful shots, hit sixes and find gaps for boundaries. He can put bowlers under pressure with his attacking style.
The second Test against Australia showed his batting ability. South Africa were struggling at 110-6 when Jansen joined captain Temba Bavuma. While Bavuma focused on building his innings, Jansen attacked the bowlers and changed the game’s direction.
He scored 85 runs off 100 balls, hitting nine fours and three sixes. He also added 132 runs with Bavuma for the seventh wicket. This helped South Africa recover and declare at 425-9.
Jansen’s innings stopped Australia from controlling the match. His ability to attack under pressure shows why a player’s value goes beyond batting averages and bowling figures.
A Gun Fielder With the Attitude of a Fast Bowler
Jansen is also a good fielder. Despite his height, he moves quickly and uses his long reach to take difficult catches. His fielding can help South Africa in important moments.
He also brings an aggressive attitude to the game. He likes to challenge batters instead of only trying to stop runs. Fast bowling needs more than speed and swing. Bowlers also need confidence and the courage to attack, even when batters hit boundaries. Jansen shows these qualities on the field.
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Former Greats Have Also Recognised His Potential
Steyn is not the only well-known South African figure to praise Jansen. Former South African captain Graeme Smith recently suggested that Jansen could become the best all-rounder in the world.
His performances also support the praise he has received. At the time of the second Test, Jansen ranked second behind India’s Ravindra Jadeja in the ICC Men’s Test All-Rounder Rankings.
Jansen responded modestly to the attention, saying, “It’s nice to hear those comments.”
He also explained what matters most to him as a player: “But at the end of the day, I just want to be a player the team can lean on. Especially in hard or tough moments.”
These words explain his growing importance to South Africa. Jansen wants to be a player his team can trust when a match becomes difficult.
His performance against Australia showed exactly that. He scored 85 runs and took five wickets in the first innings. He then took the final wicket in the second innings by dismissing Josh Hazlewood as South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs.
The South Africa vs Australia Test showed his value clearly. Jansen helped his team recover with the bat, took apart Australia’s first innings with the ball and finished the match by taking the final wicket.
Perhaps the debate over the best cricketer in the world will never have one answer that everyone accepts. But when a player can influence a match in so many ways, it becomes difficult to ignore his claim.
Can Marco Jansen turn Dale Steyn’s praise into a sustained claim to being the world’s best all-rounder across all three formats?
What are your thoughts? Is Marco Jansen the best cricketer in the world currently? Let us know in the comments.
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