Marco Jansen Wins ICC Men's Player of the Month for October 2026
- Marco Jansen claimed his maiden ICC Men's Player of the Month award after a standout Test series against Australia
- The South African all-rounder beat two international nominees to earn the October 2026 honour
- Jansen's batting and bowling performances helped the Proteas stage a remarkable series comeback
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South African cricket all-rounder Marco Jansen has been named the ICC Men's Player of the Month for October 2026, earning the recognition after a series-defining display in the Proteas' Test campaign against Australia.
The 26-year-old beat out Pakistan's Arafat Minhas and West Indies white-ball captain Shai Hope to claim the award, his first in this category.
Jansen turns the series around
Jansen's most commanding performance came during the second Test in Gqeberha, where he scored 85 runs in the first innings and finished the match with six wickets. That all-round showing powered South Africa to an innings and 31-run victory, levelling the series at 1-1 after a defeat in the opening match.
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He carried that form into the third and final Test, contributing another half-century with the bat and three more wickets to seal a 2-1 series triumph for the hosts. The victory also lifted South Africa to second place in the ICC World Test Championship standings, with a points percentage of 71.43 from seven Tests.
Marco Jansen credits his teammates
Jansen welcomed the recognition, describing it as particularly meaningful given the intensity of South Africa's battle against Australia. He said the series would remain one of the standout moments of his career.
"It was one of the most memorable series of my career, and being able to contribute to the team's success made it even more special," Jansen said.
The Proteas all-rounder was also keen to acknowledge those who had helped him achieve the milestone, pointing out that individual success in cricket depended on teamwork.
"Individual recognition is always rewarding, but cricket is a team sport, and this achievement is a testament to the support of my teammates and the work of our support staff, who have backed us throughout," he added.
Jansen has already turned his attention to South Africa's next challenge. He said the team wanted to build on its recent success and continue pushing for a place in next year's ICC World Test Championship final.
"Our focus now is on building on this momentum as we continue our push to reach the ICC World Test Championship Final next year," he said.
Source: Getty Images
Marco Jansen previously reached the top of two ICC Test rankings
Briefly News previously reported that Marco Jansen achieved another major career milestone after becoming the world's No. 1-ranked Test bowler and all-rounder on 28 October 2026.
The Proteas star overtook Australia's Mitchell Starc and India's Ravindra Jadeja following his impressive performances against Australia.
The rankings update also brought good news for Temba Bavuma, who climbed to second place among Test batters.
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Source: Briefly News
