Aiden Markram isn’t just banging on the Proteas door anymore

Aiden Markram’s delightful century in the annual eKasi Challenge on Wednesday shows the young Titans batsman is in the right mental state to do what is necessary next week as he tries to nail down his place in the Proteas side for the first Test against Bangladesh, starting in Potchefstroom on September 28.

With Heino Kuhn ruled out with a knee injury, there is a vacancy in the Test side for an opening batsman to partner Markram’s Titans team-mate Dean Elgar.

Also read: Aiden Markram lifts hand up again with a dashing innings

Which makes the opening round of Sunfoil Series matches and the SA Invitation XI game against the tourists in Benoni next week vital for the contenders – Markram and the player Kuhn replaced in the Test side, Stephen Cook, who has been in strong form for the SA A side.

Markram was originally chosen to captain the SA Invitation XI, but with Dale Steyn’s withdrawal from the Titans team for next week’s four-day game due to his shoulder flaring up again, the 22-year-old is likely to be recalled.

But whoever Markram plays for next week, he is certainly in great form and full of confidence.

“It was valuable time out in the middle in Hammanskraal. You can hit as many balls as you like in the nets, but there’s nothing like a match situation. I took a lot out of the innings, it was very valuable because it’s put me at ease mentally. But we all know how this game works, you can go from one extreme to the other very quickly, so I have to keep working hard,” Markram said.

Even talk about Markram being given the captaincy of the Titans’ four-day side is not fazing the impressive young man who led South Africa to the 2014 U19 World Cup crown.

It’s not every day that a 22-year-old gets to skipper the Test captain he is hoping to make his debut under the following week, but Faf du Plessis’ availability for the Titans makes that likely.

“Captaining the Titans would be a completely different challenge for me because I am quite young and it’s a big responsibility to lead, but a big privilege as well,” Markram said.