South Africa captain Aiden Markram, right, and Kagiso Rabada. (AP photo) NEW DELHI: Nineteen months ago, Aiden Markram appeared dazed on the boundary ropes as India celebrated their second World T20 title in Bridgetown, Barbados. The South Africa captain later admitted he was “gutted” that his team could not get over the finish line despite appearing to be in control of their chase of 177 in the final.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Cut to Lord’s, June 2025. Playing under Temba Bavum, Markram was beaming from ear to ear and even found time for a pint by the boundary fence with an old friend after leading South Africa to their first world title with a scintillating 136 against Australia in the Test World Cup final.
T20 World Cup: Shukri Conrad’s press conference after SA vs ZIM
After leading the South African side to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2014, the 31-year-old has faced equal parts success and disappointment in his eight-year international career.Having taken over the full-time captaincy duties of the SA T20 side in 2023, Markram appears calmer and more composed. But behind the icy demeanor is a fierce competitor who commands the respect of the entire unit.“Aiden has been fantastic both with the bat and as a leader. But you’re only as good as your soldiers and he’d be the first to admit that. So it’s easy to manage a bowling unit that’s at the top of their game and the bats they’re firing. But Aiden, yes, he’s been at the forefront of everything we’ve been doing,” South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad said.SA batting coach Ashwell Prince indicated that the captain often acted as a bridge between the players and the support staff. “When he steps on the field, he has a clear idea of all the discussions we’ve had and the different options that could come up during the game. As far as his leadership, he’s great at communicating with these pitchers in the middle, with the coaching staff. We tend to trust him with all the ideas and information,” Prince said.“I’ve always been of the opinion that being open is his best position. The phrase my kids would use is that he’s really ‘locked in’ right now in terms of his focus,” Prince added.
