South Africa name Aiden Markram captain for the remainder of the ODI series

South Africa faced a real crisis in the batting department after star batsman AB de Villiers was ruled out of the first three ODIs against India due to a finger injury he suffered in the third Test. After the first ODI, it was announced that skipper Faf du Plessis will not be available for the rest of the ODI series and the T20Is as he also sustained a finger injury. Now, the Proteas also faced a leadership crisis.

The selectors had more than a couple of options to pick from – former captain Hashim Amla or the two seniors JP Duminy and David Miller were considered the front-runners to be handed over the responsibility. Cricket South Africa (CSA) today confirmed that Aiden Markram will take charge in Faf’s absence.

Thus far in his limited-overs career, the 23-year-old has played just two ODIs – the first was against Bangladesh the other was the first ODI against India on February 1. What possibly went in his favour is his experience of having led the South African U19 team to the junior World Cup title in 2014. That is to date their only title win in the history of the U19 World Cup.

Faf was the lone saviour of their batting in Durban as he scored a magnificent hundred while all the other batsmen failed to convert the starts. It was his knock that took the team to 269 a score that gave their bowlers something to bowl at. Though it wasn’t enough as Virat Kohli also hit a hundred and they got home quite comfortably in the end. The Indians hold a lead in the series and will now aim to extend the lead against a depleted South African team.

Earlier CSA had named two replacements in the ODI squad – Farhaan Baherdien and Heinrich Klaasen who have joined the rest of the team ahead of the second match that will be played at the Super Sportpark in Centurion.

South African squad for the ODI series:

Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram (C), David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khayelihle Zondo, Farhan Behardien and Heinrich Klaasen