His 82-run knock earlier this week was Markram's highest score in an ODI innings in nearly two years.
Already a senior member of the national squad, having been pushed up the order, Aiden Markram is going to need to find a way to make big contributions more often for the Proteas in the build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and the 2027 50-over World Cup on home soil.
In June, Markram produced a magnificent match-winning century, carrying South Africa to a memorable victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final in London.
That knock, however, was his first ton in his last nine Test matches.
And his struggle to find consistency has extended to other formats in recent years.
In the T20 format, he hasn’t compiled a half-century in his last 31 international games, stretching back to October 2022.
And as captain of the side, he contributed only 31 runs in three matches against Australia in the three-match T20 series which concluded last week.
Markram has been better in the ODI format, and while he hasn’t hit a century in 21 matches for the Proteas (since October 2023) he has made six half-centuries during that period.
He did stand up on Tuesday, producing a solid 82-run knock in the first fixture of a three-match ODI series against Australia, his highest individual total in an international 50-over game in nearly two years.
But in the second fixture on Friday, he was removed for a duck in the second over.
Key role at the top of the order
The 30-year-old all-rounder, who has also previously captained the national ODI and Test teams, is currently one of the Proteas’ most experienced players with 184 caps across all three formats.
Aside from the value he adds as a leader of the SA squad, both as T20 skipper and vice-captain under ODI and Test skipper Temba Bavuma, Markram is one of those players whose individual efforts are more influential to the team’s performances because younger members of the squad feed off him.
And now that he is opening the batting, he plays a key role in laying the foundation for the rest of the line-up to work off.
Markram’s experience alone offers a lot of value, but the national team will also need him to set an example with the bat and pave the way in key encounters as the Proteas go in search of global titles in both limited overs formats over the next couple of years.
If he can find consistency and convert his starts to big scores more often it will go a long way in lifting the Proteas squad against the world’s best teams.
