London [UK], June 14 : South African Aiden Markram played an innings of a lifetime at the World Test Championship final at Lord's, justifying years of backing despite patches of inconsistency.
His class and talent were all on display as he played a stroke-filled century while anchoring the innings from one end.
Markram, making his Test debut in 2017, currently has 2,993 runs in 46 Tests at an average of 36.50 with eight centuries and 13 fifties.
He has proven to be a paradoxical player. While he is an absolute treat to the eyes, his inconsistency can frustrate fans.
His composure and temperament stands amongst the very best in the game, but yet on many occasions, a rash hit has led to his departure from the crease. His not-so-remarkable numbers did attract calls from fans and experts to drop him, but the 30-year-old gave them all a befitting answer. Despite the patchy nature of his career, one thing is for sure, he is the man for the finals for his side.
It all started on January 2014, when a young Markram, 19 years of age, played a well-compiled knock of 66* in 125 balls, helping South Africa chase 133 against Pakistan to guide the team to the U19 World Cup title, South Africa's first world title at any level of the game. Along with the World Cup, he walked away with the 'Player of the Tournament' award, for 370 runs in six matches, with two centuries and a fifty. He was the third-highest run-getter in the tournament.
Then in 2023, he led South Africa to their only final appearance in white-ball cricket, during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 at Barbados. While Markram was poor with the bat in the tournament and scored just four in the title clash, his leadership was top-notch, his bowling changes and field placements mostly brilliant. Proteas lost the final by seven runs thanks to a miraculous comeback scripted by the Indian pace attack, but it instilled in Proteas a self-belief needed for big matches.
Then during the WTC final, Markram headed into the title clash with not-so-impressive record. In preceding eight calendar years in Tests, five of them saw him average below 40. His record in the knockout matches for Proteas was not spectacular either, with just 68 runs in four matches.
However, with each classy drive and punch sent piercing through gaps, Markram proved his class. He dominated spin, continuing his unbeaten record against spin great Nathan Lyon. Even the pace trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were handed some meaty blows.
After a first innings duck, he displayed immense resillience, making a huge mental switch during the second innings. Instead of crumbling under pressure, Markram dropped the anchor and struck a fine partnership with skipper Temba Bavuma during a tough 282-run chase in a match which had seen both sides huff and puff to the 200-run mark.
Markram's knock is the first century during a tournament final by a South African cricketer. While the previous June ended in a heartbreak, in the month of June this year, Markram produced a career-defining knock that could usher a new era for Test cricket in South Africa, which once faced criticism for sending a B-team during their tour to New Zealand earlier last year during the WTC cycle 2023-25.
Best thing about time is, that it changes. Markram proved it in a way South Africans will remember for a long time.
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