Markram aims to build on South Africa’s run to T20 WC final as the quest for a global title continues
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The captain of the shortest format emphasises the role of SA20 in unearthing new talent; hails Afghanistan as an incredibly good side after the One-Day International series defeat; says the team winning is more important than him getting runs and also looks forward to the busy schedule ahead
Before the T20I series against Ireland in Abu Dhabi, South Africa T20I captain Aiden Markram spoke to journalists about the ODI series loss to Afghanistan, his batting form, promising newcomers and guiding them, the special group that made it to the 2024 T20 World Cup final, and his team being ready for the busy schedule ahead.
On the 2-1 loss to Afghanistan in the ODI series in Sharjah…
Obviously, the result wasn’t what we wanted. But you can always take something from the series. And I think we will as a team be able to take a lot from it and be able to grow a lot as a slightly younger group.
If you can tell in your own words how good a cricket team Afghanistan has become… How good were they in this particular series?
I think it’s pretty evident that they are a really good team. They just made (it to) a semifinal at a (T20) World Cup as well. So, none of it is by fluke. They’re an incredibly good cricket team. And when you put them in conditions, their home conditions as well, they become even tougher. So, yes, you take your hats off to them.
They played some proper cricket, and we as a team have now been exposed to that and understand what’s required to win games of cricket in that part of the world against an opposition like that. So, those are the learnings that each of us can take.
Individually, as players as well, each guy will understand, through being involved in that series, how their game potentially needs to change or what their plans are or need to be in those conditions to be nice and clear. So, yes, lots of good learnings.
But certainly, from an Afghanistan point of view, I don’t think anyone can argue the fact that they are a really good team at the moment.
You’ve had a lean patch with the bat across formats since this year’s IPL until your unbeaten 69 (67b, 4×4, 3×6) in South Africa’s consolation win in the last ODI. Do you look at this innings as your return to form?
In terms of the lean patch, I mean it’s all just cricket, really. You can feel as good as you want and not score runs. And that’s just the nature of the beast, unfortunately. Some challenging wickets at the (T20) World Cup. But all in all, been feeling quite good with batting. And obviously, it was nice to get some runs in the last ODI. But a lot of the time I just measure form as to how much I can contribute to my team winning games and not necessarily the amount of runs that I’m scoring. So, that’s what I’m going to take with me moving forward, and hopefully can score some runs, so that the team is in a good position and can win games of cricket.
There are a lot of new faces in this South African setup. There’s Nqabayomzi Peter and there’s Jason Smith. Even Ottniel Baartman, whom you’ve captained in SA20, is relatively new on the international circuit. Who do you think are the next generation of South African cricketers who can take the T20I team forward? And what’s your take on SA20 having played a role in unearthing such exciting talents?
Yes, SA20 has played a huge role, to be honest. It’s great for our players back home to be exposed to high-quality opposition, high-quality players that come to the league. So, lots of benefits from that. And you don’t feel like it (international standard) is too far ahead compared to the standard of SA20. So, that’s been a really big plus for us as a country of cricket or for cricket in South Africa.
Yes, there are a few guys that have put up their hands back home in the SA20 itself as well. You look at a guy like Wiaan Mulder (pace bowling all-rounder), who’s come on. Matthew Breetzke (top-order batter) had a really good SA20.
And then, Nqabayomzi Peter (22-year-old leg-spinner), of course. He’s got the X-factor. He’s still really young and really raw, but has got a lot of those attributes that we like as a team.
So, there are a few guys that deserve to be here (in the SA squad) firstly, and deserve to have that opportunity to grow their games as cricketers and get exposed to international cricket. And hopefully, if they get a fair opportunity and feel really comfortable in the environment, they can start putting in some nice performances for the team.
Could you tell a bit about your role as a senior player and a leader in guiding the promising newcomers for the future?
I’m there to really support them, help them lots at training, wherever they feel they need help. You’ll never know everything in this game, but I’ve been fortunate enough to have played a few games now and maybe have a little bit more experience than some of the younger guys. So, it’s about them asking some really good questions and me giving some nice and honest feedback to them. Maybe, trying to assist them in what they can expect out there in the middle – the approach from the different oppositions and what they may try against them as a younger player in the team. So, there’s quite a bit you try to take on, and it’s all just to help them grow as players, whether you can make a 1 per cent difference or a bigger difference. It all benefits the team at the end of it.
In that context, you are the T20I captain and Temba Bavuma is the ODI captain. So, how do you look at that difference in the leadership role?
We’ve got Rob Walter (coach), who’s the consistent figure through both the formats and we try to work as closely as we can all with each other to have a similar way of playing.
Obviously, the formats are really different and there’s a lot more time in 50-over cricket. But (we) try to keep the messaging consistent within the group between the three of us, and ultimately just try to create a really nice environment and an environment where the guys enjoy being.
They enjoy their time on and off the field. They enjoy playing for each other and through that, you’ll see some really good attitudes and really good efforts out on the park.
So, yes, not too much of a challenge, to be honest. We all get on really well as well. Temba and I have played cricket for many years together. So, we know how each other works and what can help each other. And yes, we both are there for each other if there is any help required or if there are any questions that need to be answered.
You’ve led South Africa to the T20 World Cup final this year. What do you think makes that group special? And if you can kind of describe the group in one word or come up with a quality that the group embodied as a whole…
It’s hard to put it into one word, to be honest with you. So, I’m going to struggle to do that. But look, that squad was one that was together for many years, building towards that journey. So, that made it quite special that everyone was really invested in the goal of trying to win that World Cup. Obviously, from a cricket side, fantastic players, and players that have lots of experience in various conditions around the world. And guys that were really hungry to get wins at the World Cup, to get us into a final, and then to lift a trophy. Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way.
But there are lots to things to be proud of from that World Cup. Got into a position in the final, where we were under a lot of pressure. And to get through that in a final, to get quite close to winning that game of cricket was a big positive for us, although we didn’t win. So, yes, lots to build on. And yes, keep plugging away and see how far it can get us and hopefully, it can get our hands on a trophy at some stage.
Was acclimatising to the UAE heat a major factor in the preparation for the Afghanistan series? And it’s a long season for you guys now. There’s the India series coming up, there’s the SA20, and then the Champions Trophy. How do you make sure that the focus of the entire group is sort of intact?
Yes, the heat, I think normally it’s just one or two days of your body going into a little bit of, not shock, shock’s too much of a strong word… But it takes those two days, your initial two days to get used to how things are. And then, it’s not too bad afterwards. You put in work off the field from a fitness point of view, so that when conditions are tough from a weather point of view, you’re confident enough that you can still dominate in those conditions and do well. So, it’s just the first day or two where the body gets a nice surprise. After that, you get used to it quite quickly.
Managing players, of course, is huge. I think Rob’s been great with that, resting guys for various series, so that when they play for South Africa, they’re as fresh as they can be.
There’s lots of cricket, but we’re not the only team that’s playing lots of cricket. All the teams around the world are playing lots of cricket. So it’s down to the individual as well to manage time wisely, look after their body as well, and give themselves the best chance of being really sharp for each and every series.
So, it’s an exciting challenge. It is quite a busy schedule, but yes, if you had offered this as a kid growing up, we would have given lots for it. So yes, that’s sort of how we try to see it. And we take each series on as best as we can.
(The zoom call chat was facilitated by Fancode)
Published – October 03, 2024 08:53 pm IST
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