Marco Jansen has dismissed Marnus Labuschagne three times in six Test matches, and the towering Proteas all-rounder will be hunting a fourth dismissal when South Africa face Australia in the series decider at Newlands this week, after levelling the series in Gqeberha in late October 2026.
Labuschagne, the Klerksdorp-born Australian No 3 who has not scored a half-century in 14 innings, is under pressure to keep his place, according to IOL. His second-innings shot selection at St George's Park drew criticism, and Australia's humbling defeat in Gqeberha has intensified calls for the axe ahead of the Newlands decider.
Why the Jansen-Labuschagne battle matters
Strip away the runs and the wickets, and this contest carries a story South African cricket followers understand deeply: two sons of the same soil, speaking the same language, on opposite sides of a series. Labuschagne left South Africa for Australia as a boy. Jansen stayed. When they face each other now, in Afrikaans and in anger, the exchange carries the weight of a cricketing history in which this country's talent has too often been harvested elsewhere.
Proteas wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton made the point plainly when he spoke after the Gqeberha Test.
“They've had a good contest in the past, Jansen and Labuschagne. Marnus is obviously Afrikaans, which is the highlight for [Jansen] — that they can chat in Afrikaans to each other,” Rickelton said, as reported by IOL.
Jansen himself has downplayed the needle, describing the verbal sparring as “just boys having fun in PE”, in comments also reported by CREX. But the numbers tell a harder truth. Jansen has removed Labuschagne three times in six Tests, including in both innings of last year's World Test Championship Final, and the left-armer was again a first-innings destroyer in Gqeberha, where ESPN's match report described an intriguing battle between the two after Australia slumped to 22 for 3 inside the first half hour.
Rickelton insisted that the contest is about more than shared language. Jansen, he said, knows exactly what Labuschagne has meant to the Australian side and what his early dismissal is worth.
“With Marco's aggression, he doesn't shy away. He knows what an important cog Marnus has been in the Australian team. We also know the value of getting him out early, because he is still a seriously good player. Marco will be fired up for that and looking to put him under pressure,” Rickelton said.
Kagiso Rabada sets the tone
Behind Jansen's combative streak stands Kagiso Rabada, the spearhead whose intensity Rickelton said lifts the entire attack. For a Black South African fast bowler to be the beating heart of this Proteas side is no small thing in a cricketing culture that spent decades reserving its leadership and its glory for others. Rabada carries that legacy every time he marks out his run-up, and he carries it without apology.
“If I look at the first two games, maybe Marco felt the burden of leading the attack,” Rickelton said. “Obviously, he's quite a confrontational character on the field as well. With KG, who really gets the ball rolling in that area, it makes it easy for other guys to jump on.”
“That's what KG brings, in all honesty. He has a massive presence in the changing room, he has a massive presence on the field, and I think that allows Marco to express himself a little bit more as well.”
How the Proteas responded to going 1-0 down
The heightened aggression in Gqeberha was not accidental. Rickelton revealed it grew from a collective decision after South Africa fell behind in the series, a refusal to fold that speaks to the temperament Temba Bavuma has built in this side.
“It wasn't really a massive conversation. It was saying, listen, we're 1-0 down, we've got a good record here, we've got a good team on the field. Let's show presence in what we're trying to do, let's let them feel our presence, who we are, and we're not here to fall over,” Rickelton said.
“KG led that, Temba led that quietly in his own way with the bat, and then KG took the ball and ran with it.”
The result was a performance that levelled the series and set up a decider at Newlands, where ESPNcricinfo noted that even Labuschagne found batting rhythm in Gqeberha's wind, reaching the 30s for the third time in the series before falling to Simon Harmer. Australia, though, failed to soak up the conditions when it mattered, and paid the price.
Newlands and the ghost of Sandpapergate
Australia return to Newlands for the first time in eight years, since the ball-tampering scandal that became known as Sandpapergate, one of the darkest chapters in Australian cricket history. That 2018 series was marked by flashpoints from David Warner's stairwell incident at Kingsmead to Rabada brushing shoulders with Steve Smith at St George's Park, and the shadow of Cameron Bancroft's sandpaper still hangs over any Australian visit to the ground.
Rickelton was quick to draw a line between the Proteas' competitive fire in Gqeberha and the ugliness of 2018, defending Rabada's approach as controlled rather than excessive.
“It's never anything too aggressive, it's just pure competitiveness from Rabada. Jansen then gets up for it as well, and the boys kind of get going,” Rickelton said.
What is at stake in the decider
For South Africa, the Newlands Test offers more than a series victory against the world's best touring side. It offers proof that a Proteas team led by a Black captain, powered by a Black spearhead, and unafraid to show its presence can stand toe to toe with anyone. The Gqeberha fightback was a statement. A win at Newlands would be the confirmation.
For Labuschagne, the stakes are personal. Fourteen innings without a fifty, a suspect shot at a critical moment, and a fast bowler who has made a habit of removing him early. Whether Australia back him or drop him, the man from Klerksdorp will know that Marco Jansen, in his own language and on his own terms, is waiting.
Frequently asked questions
How many times has Marco Jansen dismissed Marnus Labuschagne in Tests?
Jansen has dismissed Labuschagne three times in six Test matches, including in both innings of last year's WTC Final, according to IOL.
Why is Marnus Labuschagne under pressure for the Newlands Test?
He has gone 14 innings without a half-century and his second-innings shot selection in Gqeberha was widely criticized, raising the possibility that Australia will drop him for the series decider.
What is Jansen and Labuschagne's shared background?
Both have South African roots and speak Afrikaans. Labuschagne was born in Klerksdorp before moving to Australia, and the two have exchanged words in Afrikaans during their on-field confrontations.
Why is Australia's return to Newlands significant?
Newlands was the scene of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal known as Sandpapergate, and this week's Test is Australia's first match at the ground in the eight years since.