3 reasons why SRH should stick with Aiden Markram as captain for IPL 2024
The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) is around the corner, and the think-tanks of all 10 franchises will have well and truly commenced their preparations for the marquee tournament.
The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), in particular, have a lot of planning to do. They finished dead last in the standings during the IPL 2023 campaign, registering just four wins in 14 matches.
Following SRH's acquisition of Pat Cummins at the IPL 2024 auction, there has been some doubt regarding who their captain will be for the upcoming campaign. Aiden Markram led the franchise last year but the team didn't do well, while Cummins had an excellent calendar year as Australia's skipper.
The team management has expressed a desire to make a decision closer to the start of IPL 2024, but it's fair to believe that they don't need to wait that long. Markram is a more than capable leader and might be their best bet to be at the helm.
Here are three reasons why SRH should stick with Aiden Markram as captain for IPL 2024.
#3 Pat Cummins shouldn't be a guaranteed starter
Despite the presence of names like Mayank Agarwal, Cummins is the only other real contender to captain SRH during IPL 2024. And while his leadership has been impressive over the last year or so, he ideally shouldn't even be part of the XII, given the franchise's overseas resources.
Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Wanindu Hasaranga and Travis Head are all definitely better T20 players than Cummins. Even Fazalhaq Farooqi might be a better option than the Aussie if SRH want to strengthen their bowling department.
Cummins' IPL returns haven't been great over the years. He has consistently been taken for runs and doesn't offer a great deal of value at any stage of the innings. Moreover, the fast bowler doesn't even captain Australia in the shortest format of the game, so appointing him as an IPL skipper isn't a particularly straightforward move.
#2 SRH need continuity during their ongoing tough phase
SRH are without a playoff appearance in their last three IPL seasons. They finished last in 2023, eighth in 2022, and last in 2021. During their ongoing tough phase, the Orange Army need continuity.
Instead of going with a player like Cummins, whose availabilty will always be a question, Hyderabad need to select a reliable long-term option as their leader. Markram, who will know the players well after leading them last year, is easily the better pick in that regard.
Another captaincy switch will not turn out well for SRH, especially if it's not one with the next few years in mind. Of course, the future of the IPL auction and the timing of the next mega-auction are not known yet, but it's safe to say that replacing Markram will unsettle the struggling franchise even more.
#1 Aiden Markram's results speak for themselves
Aiden Markram has long been earmarked as an international captain, ever since leading South Africa to the 2014 U19 World Cup title. While his opportunities to lead the Proteas haven't come thick and fast, he has made a real impression at the lower levels.
Markram has led the SunRisers Eastern Cape to the SA20 league trophy in each of the first two seasons of the tournament, even though his team weren't among the outright favorites to go all the way in both campaigns. He shuffled his bowlers well and led from the front in all three departments.
Had Markram's SA20 2024 campaign been disappointing, SRH could've considered having another name at the helm. But the 29-year-old's results speak for themselves, and it's tough to look past him now.