SA20 gives me great exposure to learn more about captaincy, says Markram

Fresh from his finest Test hundred, which he smashed against India last week, Markram is now ready to score big runs in the shortest format.

FILE PHOTO: South Africa’s Aiden Markram celebrates after completing a century on the second day of the second Test against India at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town. | Photo Credit: PTI

Aiden Markram is forever grateful to the Sunrisers franchise for showing faith in his leadership abilities as he gets down to defend the SA20 title that Sunrisers Eastern Cape won under his captaincy in the league’s inaugural edition.

Fresh from his finest Test hundred, which he smashed against India last week, Markram is now ready to score big runs in the shortest format.

“It’s always nice to get runs. It’s obviously [a] different format, but from a confidence point of view, it gives you confidence as a player, and to go from that knock straight to SA20, is a nice place to be, but you have to respect that this is a different format,” Markram told PTI in an interview.

Winning the inaugural edition of SA20 was a breakthrough moment for Markram, who was later entrusted with the huge task of leading Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL (Indian Premier League).

“I am not sure as I am not involved in those decisions, fantastic opportunity and privilege to captain any team. It’s a great blessing to captain any Sunrisers team. Great exposure for myself to learn from captaincy point of view and wherever it takes you in future, you take it in your stride,” the Proteas vice-captain said.

The Eastern Cape Sunrisers don’t have too many big names save the skipper, England’s South African-born player Dawid Malan, and Marco Jansen.

“You always feel that responsibility not just from captaincy point of view, but as a senior player also, to lead from the front. We want to give freedom to our players to express themselves and be the best player they can be. If it’s their day, the team would be in great position.”