How Duan Jansen nearly quit cricket as frustration set in

Jansen made his debut for South Africa on Friday, and has played in both of their opening matches in the tri-series against Namibia and Zimbabwe in Windhoek.

He admitted that he felt stagnant at some point while playing for the North West Dragons before making the telling switch to the Titans last year, but is now glad he stuck it out with his fortunes beginning to change.

"Back then, putting in the hard work and trying to move forward mentally was the most difficult part for me because it didn't feel as though I was improving despite putting in all the hard work. Even though it didn't feel like it then, I'm glad it has all paid off now."

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Jansen had to watch his identical twin brother, Marco’s career soar internationally during that period, and revealed that he had to consult with a family psychologist and get some spiritual guidance to get into the right frame of mind.

The 26-year-old credits the move to Pretoria as one that had a positive influence in his career, where he’s quickly established himself as a vital member of the team.

Jansen is also one of the retained players for Joburg Super Kings ahead of Season 5 of the SA20.

He notched up three wickets while conceding 45 runs in their win over Zimbabwe in their second match of the tri-series, but is also no slouch with the willow – part of why coach Shukri Conrad has been so impressed with him at domestic level.

"When I moved to the Titans that was the role I had to play as well. I knew that if I could put my batting together and learn how to deal with the pressure at the back-end I could be successful. It doesn't matter where I bat in the order, I'm just focused on assessing the situation so that I can give my best for the team."