Marco Jansen

Over the years, Mumbai Indians has been a breeding ground for several budding cricketers whether from India or anywhere across the world and it is no different this year. Not many have many ideas about the young sensation from South Africa, Marco Jansen who was bagged in the Auctions by the 5-time champions for his base price of Rs 20 lakhs. As per reports, it is learnt that he was picked by the franchise after a consultation with their wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock. 

Born on May 1, 2000, in Klerksdorp located in North Western Province in South Africa, Jansen and his brother took to cricket at an early age and made headlines during school tournaments. 

Over the years, Marco managed to emerge as a promising talent and it was in 2017-18 when Jansen hogged the limelight. He was invited by the Indian team to bowl to them in the nets when they travelled to the Rainbow Nation in 2017-18. 

Both Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri were very impressed with the youngster for the consistency he showed in a short span of time. 

He was rewarded for his impressive performance in age group level cricket and just when he got the opportunity to bowl to Indian stars, Marco Jansen was handed over his List A debut for North West Province in the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge in 2017-18. 

It didn’t take him long to make his first-class debut as he was awarded his maiden cap in the CSA Three-Day Provincial Cup in 2018-19. He has already played a handful of first-class matches for North West Province and picked up more than 50 wickets in his brief career. 

Jansen is a good lower-order batsman and can strike some lusty blows towards the end of the innings. He has not played enough T20 matches but the exposure of rubbing shoulders with some of the greats of the game in the upcoming IPL will keep him in very good stead going forward.

(As of March 2021)