Marco Jansen belongs to a great tradition but top all-rounders are hard to find

Writing for The Guardian, Daniel Gallan argues that South Africa's Marco Jansen continues the nation's rich tradition of elite all-rounders, a profile that rivals like England and Australia struggle to consistently replicate. Entering the third Test with 99 wickets at an average of 20.81, Jansen's counterattacking 85 against Australia demonstrated his ability to alter matches with both bat and ball.

Gallan examines the definition of true all-rounders, noting how rare it is for players to sustain elite performance in both disciplines. The piece highlights how international cricket often romanticizes pace-bowling all-rounders like Ian Botham and Jacques Kallis, while frequently underappreciating spin all-rounders such as Ravindra Jadeja and Shakib al-Hasan.