The right-handed batter scored a valiant century in the second ODI in Raipur.
Generally, a batter who has scored a century in the previous game gets to bat at the same position in the next one. But for Aiden Markram, the equation was a bit different. The South African batter was sent at No.5 in the third ODI against India in Visakhapatnam. This comes just a game after he scored a sublime century while opening the batting in the run-chase in Raipur.
The fact that the South Africans had to make a change stemmed from Ryan Rickelton’s comeback to the side in the third ODI. The left-handed batter coming back into the XI meant that he had to partner Quinton de Kock at the top of the order. That being said, Aiden Markram had to be pushed out of position for the third and final ODI in Vizag.
The move clearly did not pay off, as the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) opener was dismissed for a solitary run after he handed a straight catch to Virat Kohli in the cover region. Having said that, Markram has now batted at three different positions in the three games played in the last eight days, including today. Stats suggest that No.4 has been his most successful stint in ODIs, as he has gathered 1,588 runs at an average of 42.91 at No.4 in the 50-over format.
Former South African speedster Dale Steyn was not very pleased of the tactics being shown by South Africa. Once it was confirmed that the 31-year-old could not open the innings, the masses were expecting him to come out at No.4 – his most successful position. But that did not happen, as the Proteas sent out Matthew Breetzke out at the fall of the second wicket, pushing Markram at No.5.
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If we closely look at the dismissal of the 31-year-old in the third ODI at Vizag, it would be very evident that Markram tried to hit the ball on the up. The ball which got him dismissed was nowhere near to a half-volley, and hence was not drive-able through the covers. The fact that Markram went for that shot ended up hitting the ball uppish, leading into the hands of Kohli at covers.
This tendency of the batters to stay upright and play on the up is generally developed via playing on wickets that offer seam and bounce – a trait of wickets back in South Africa. Hence, there is no secret in the fact that Aiden Markram thrives on shots that require him to hit the ball on the up. And to say the least, he did that wonderfully in the second ODI in Raipur.
But one way Markram can increase his efficiency on wickets in the subcontinent is via getting his centre of gravity lower, which would help him pick the trajectory of the ball a lot quicker. As a result, he can stay a lot lower in his approach and stance, allowing him to complete his shot being much closer to the ground. It would certainly help the cause for Markram.
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