Aiden Markram excited by young Proteas ahead of Australia T20 challenge

Proteas T20 captain Aiden Markram is no ‘old ballie’, but the 29-year-old will be the seasoned and hardened veteran that a fairly younger group of players will turn to against Australia this week.

South Africa host the Australians in three T20s this week in Durban, starting on Wednesday at Kingsmead (6pm), before going on to contest a five-match one-day international series for the next couple of weeks thereafter against the visitors.

Limited-overs coach Rob Walter has included players unfamiliar to international cricket in his squad, with the likes of Dewald Brevis (20), Matthew Breetzke (24) and Donovan Ferreira (25) in the mix with one eye on the ODI World Cup, which starts in early October in India.

Markram, who was appointed skipper in March, has embraced the prospect of sharing the crease with the raw but talented Proteas additions.

“It’s very exciting,” Markram said. “Naturally, some guys have been rested leading to the World Cup later this year, so this is a great opportunity for younger guys to come in, guys that have done incredibly well in franchise cricket.

All set and ready to go for what is sure to be an exciting #SAvAUS #KFCT20Iseries 🏆#BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/VN09LKMk22

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 28, 2023

“This is a great chance for them because we’ve got no doubt about their abilities as cricketers and it’s fantastic that now we get the opportunity to get onto the international stage and let them express themselves.”

Brevis, who is set to make his debut for SA, was the leading run-scorer in last year’s Under-19 World Cup in the West Indies. He recorded 506 runs in six innings, including centuries against Uganda and Bangladesh, and went on to be named Player of the Tournament.

Although still a greenhorn in many respects, he has shown enough to suggest he is the debutant to pay close attention to among the four included in the squad.

Meanwhile Markram, who saw his team beaten by the West Indies in his first series as captain, is itching to get his name in the winner’s column as skipper.

“I think it’s going to be a great series,” he said.

“There’s a lot of youth (from both camps), so there’s going to be a lot of energy and excitement. To be able to lead is a huge honour, especially because the two countries have a rivalry.

“There’s a lot of respect between the two teams. We’ve got to be very competitive and from a leadership point of view, it comes down to that, making sure I lead from the front by making sure we start well and stay in their faces.”

Markram also highlighted the importance of focusing on the overall health of his team, and their growth levels rather than his individual achievements.

“I think (it becomes a problem) if you become outcome-based and results-based because then you can potentially feel a bit of pressure and if you worry about your stats as a captain and win percentage,” Markram said.

“It’s about taking the squad that you have forward in their careers and playing for your country, which is the ultimate privilege.”

@ScribeSmiso