"This IPL tournament provided me with that confidence" - Aiden Markram credits the lucrative league for his T20I success
South African batter Aiden Markram has credited the IPL for helping him gain the required confidence to succeed in T20 cricket. The right-handed batter admitted that it was something he lacked earlier.
Markram, ranked number three in the ICC T20I rankings for batters, has been a vital cog in South Africa's line-up in the shortest form. He averages 42.60 in 21 T20Is with a strike rate of 146.55. The 27-year old also had a fruitful IPL 2022 with SunRisers Hyderabad, averaging 47.63 in 12 innings with three fifties.
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Ahead of the two-game T20 series against Ireland, starting on Wednesday, the right-handed batter hailed the IPL's contribution.
As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he said:
"Confidence is a massive part of this game. This IPL tournament provided me with that confidence, that belief that I was lacking."
However, it's worth noting that the all-rounder has only played one out of eight T20Is this year. He missed the entire series in India after contracting COVID-19 and didn't play in England until the final T20I. Markram scored a quick-fire half-century in the third T20I against England at Southampton, which proved decisive in South Africa's victory.
"The communication has been really good from coach, management team and captain" - Aiden Markram
The right-handed batter said he understands the idea behind rotating players as everyone deserves a fair chance ahead of the T20 World Cup Down Under.
He said:
"The communication has been really good from coach, management team and captain. It makes it easier to understand why they are doing it (rotating players). Building up to World Cups, you want to pick your best squad and it's important to give guys fair opportunities before you select the team."
The Centurion-born batter also attributed his success to the team management for defining roles clearly, adding:
"Rilee, Tristan and Reeza are exciting for us as a team and creates some good competition for us as a squad. For me, it's just about playing the situation. If they get us off to a flier, it's about coming in and matching their intensity. And if not, it's for me to up the intensity."
Fifties from Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram, and a fifer from Tabraiz Shamsi help seal a sensational series win for South Africa 💥🇿🇦
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The 27-year old averaged a healthy 54 with two half-centuries in five innings in the 2021 T20 World Cup. The Proteas will expect the same level of performance from him in the upcoming edition in Australia.