Cricket
Proteas Star Marco Jansen Embraces 12-Week Conditioning Break: “It’s About Getting Stronger”
Proteas star Marco Jansen opens up about his 12-week conditioning break, aimed at getting stronger amid intense scheduling in international cricket. Jansen shares insights on how this break benefits both his body and mental health.
Image Credits: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Having missed the Caribbean tour, Marco Jansen says the decision to put him in a 12 week conditioning break was not dropped on him on last minute as he misses this month’s trip to the UAE with the Proteas.
Jansen’s Conditioning Break Due to Intense Scheduling
The scheduling in professional cricket has been a major talking point across the world. Following the success of the lucrative franchise T20 leagues around the world, the average professional cricketer finds themselves playing all around the world, all year long.
As much as that is a hectic schedule, the above average players, have a lot more worse scheduling, one that is not only taxing on the body but also affects their mental health as well as they often find themselves with almost no time to themselves and their families.
As a result, more and more players have recently taken extended mental health breaks from the game including Australia's Glenn Maxwell and the England captain Ben Stokes.
After enduring this unrealistic scheduling in professional cricket for almost two decades, the national teams have finally taken it upon themselves to adapt and address the matter in hand.
The World Cricketers Association rolled up its sleeves to address the 'broken' scheduling while national teams have widened their talent pool in order to give their main players conditioning and rehabilitation breaks once or twice a year.
South Africa have also taken the same approach during the recently concluded white ball series against the West Indies last month where the main players were rested and new players were given opportunities.
The white ball coach, Rob Walter, again announced inexperienced white ball teams for their outbound tours against Ireland and Afghanistan later this month.
In so doing, Walter has left out Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen among many other household names in the Proteas white ball teams.
Jansen is on a 12 week-long rehabilitation break and has already spent four weeks in his programme.
The lanky left-arm seamer told SportsBoom that the decision to rest him for 12 weeks was not just dropped on him unexpectedly but was rather taken over a long period of time.
The decision was done over a long period of time taking in consideration how I feel, where my head is at and where my body is at and based on what will be the best way forward for me and the entire team.
Marco Jansen
Jansen has been playing international cricket for three years while he also regularly plays in the Indian Premier League, the Major League Cricket in the United States of America and the SA20.
On the other hand, Rabada has been playing international cricket for a decade having made his international debut in Adelaide in 2014.
As an all-format player and one who also competes in the T20 leagues around the world, it only made sense that Walter and the powers that be in South Africa cricket gave Rabada time off.
Rabada has been on a break since the conclusion of the Proteas Test series against West Indies last month and is set to return to action in October when South Africa tour Bangladesh for a two-match Test series.
"I can only imagine how the body and mind feels for someone like KG (Rabada) who has been playing nonstop. For him for an example, a break would be beneficial. For me as well, it would be beneficial even though naturally as a player you want to play.”
"So, it is about how can we get the best out of everyone in a two-year span while being able to get the necessary strength work in between as well.”
"That's what this is about, helping us get stronger every two years," he added.
New Faces for Afghanistan and Ireland White Ball Series
Walter announced four uncapped players in his 16-player One Day International squads as youngsters Nqaba Peter and Andile Simelane finally got the nod alongside Jason Smith and Ottneil Baartman who have also earned their maiden ODI call-ups.
The Proteas will play a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sharjah before going on to play a two-match T20 series and three-match ODI series against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.
South Africa ODI squad against Afghanistan
Temba Bavuma (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Nqaba Peter, Andile Simelane, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne and Lizaad Williams.
South Africa T20I squad against Ireland
Aiden Markram, Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Andile Simelane, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs and Lizaad Williams.
South Africa ODI squad against Ireland
Temba Bavuma, Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne and Lizaad Williams.
Ongama Gcwabe is an experienced Sports Journalist based in South Africa. In his career, Ongama’s work has been published in the country’s biggest newspapers company, Independe Newspapers, and some of the leading news and sports websites including IOL Sport.