Aiden Markram wants to get the senior guys on his side

It says much of Aiden Markram’s strong character that he’s taking leadership into his stride at a young age.

The 22-year-old opening batter seems to be following a similar path to Graeme Smith after Cricket South Africa (CSA) decided to hand him the captaincy of the South Africa ‘A’ side in the four-day format for the tour to England.

Not bad for a player on his first major national assignment.

Also read: Aiden Markram’s burden: Being the new Graeme Smith

“Yeah, the captaincy is something exciting to look forward to,” said Markram on the eve of SA ‘A’s departure to the UK.

“Being one of the younger guys in the squad, it’s something to treasure. You can find yourself very star struck but I hope it’s something I learn from.”

Markram had been singled out as a viable leader for the future as long as three years back, when he led the national Under-19 side – featuring a certain Kagiso Rabada – to World Cup glory.

There, however, he led men of the same age.

Now he’s dealing with a whole different dynamic, one where quite a few senior players need to be led.

But Markram isn’t easily intimidated.

“The presence of a few experienced guys definitely can be intimidating for a young captain,” he said.

“But I have to say, the bunch of guys we have in this team are really nice people. They make it very easy to take control.”

In fact, Markram clearly has invested time in planning how he’ll approach his captaincy.

“The key is to get some of the senior guys onto your side from the outset. You have to use their experience,” he said.

“When you do that, you can approach a senior guy when you’re feeling a bit under pressure. It’s about striving for a balance.”

Following a breakthrough season at the Titans, the national selectors have subtly suggested a good tour in the UK could mean Markram gets an opportunity to play international cricket by the start of next season.

Yet he’s very much aware of putting too much pressure on himself.

“I don’t want to give that too much thought,” said Markram.

“The person I am, it can only add pressure on me and I don’t want to do that. There’s a fair amount on my plate already but it’s a nice thought for the back of the mind.”

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