MARKRAM ON LEADERSHIP: I’VE LEARNT A LOT FROM FAF

Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram begins a new journey today when he leads the Proteas Men’s T20I team for the first time against the West Indies. 

The three-match series will feature a double-header at Centurion over the weekend before moving across to the Wanderers on Tuesday.

Markram, 28, has long been destined to lead his country ever since lifting the ICC U19 World Cup as leader of the South Africa U19 team in Dubai back in 2014. 

A brief taste of senior Proteas leadership followed during five ODI’s against India in 2018, but the mantle has now finally been installed permanently on the all-rounder’s shoulders. 

Much of it has to do with Markram’s increased maturity and development as a player in the shortest format particularly, which was highlighted by him leading the Sunrisers to the inaugural Betway SA20 title last month. 

“(Captaining the senior team) is definitely different to under-19 cricket. I suppose there’s bits and pieces you can take from it (SA U19 captaincy journey),” said Markram, on the eve of the first T20I against the West Indies.

“At that young age I was very hard on myself. You have to learn to take things in your stride, try to take outcomes from things and focus on things that give you the best chance of succeeding on the day, whether it works out or not,” said Markram.

Part of Markram’s growth has been his exposure to many experienced captains as he travelled along his journey in both international and franchise cricket around the world for close to the last decade.

However, Markram admits that his role-model remains former Proteas and current Joburg Super Kings skipper Faf du Plessis. 

“We’ve had some great leaders around, so to sponge information off them and see how they operate has also shaped the way I am starting to think as well,” Markram said. 

“Experience also helps. You rub shoulders with great leaders and great players in the team, so they help you put things into perspective quite nicely.

“But how Faf managed to marshal his troops was something I really looked up to and something I strive to become. I’ve learnt a lot from him – probably without him knowing – just observing from the side.”

Markram and Du Plessis went head-to-head in the second Betway SA20 semi-final at Centurion with the student and his team coming out on top.