South Africa's Coach Optimistic About Aiden Markram's Potential Ahead of ODI Series

Confidence in Aiden Markram's Abilities

In Cairns, Australia, on August 17, South Africa's head coach Shukri Conrad expressed his belief in captain Aiden Markram, suggesting that he is nearing a 'state of genius' in his performance. Conrad feels that with just a few more matches, Markram could achieve remarkable levels of play.

Despite Markram's recent struggles, having gone 31 innings without a T20I half-century and scoring only 31 runs in the latest T20 series against Australia, Conrad remains hopeful.

The series concluded with a nail-biting finish, where Australia clinched victory in the deciding match, thanks to Glenn Maxwell's impressive unbeaten 62 runs off 36 balls, securing a 2-1 series win over South Africa. Maxwell was named Player of the Match, while Tim David, with 150 runs across three matches, earned the Player of the Series title.

Conrad noted, 'I understand it's a different format, but Aiden demonstrated his capabilities during the World Test Championship final not long ago. I believe he is just a couple of games away from unlocking that state of genius.'

He acknowledged that South Africa was 'a batter light' but emphasized that if the players could approach their game with more self-assurance, it could benefit the team.

'To compete against a team like Australia, we need to select our attacks wisely. If I can encourage the batting unit to play a certain way, despite being a batter light, just imagine their potential when we have a well-balanced side,' he added.

Following a thrilling second T20I where Proteas' Dewald Brevis scored a stunning maiden century, the series was tied at 1-1. Australia was then tasked with chasing down 173 runs to secure the series.

The two teams are set to face off again in a three-match ODI series starting on Tuesday, August 19, in Cairns.