# Aiden Markram
**Aiden Markram** (Aiden Kyle Markram, born 1994 in [Centurion](https://www.edgepedia.org/centurion), Gauteng) is a South African cricketer, a right-handed top-order batter and part-time off-break bowler who is the captain of the South Africa men's T20 International team and a mainstay of the national Test and ODI sides.[1](https://www.ipl.com/player/aiden-markram) He first came to prominence as captain of South Africa's ICC Under-19 World Cup-winning team in 2014, making him the first South African captain to win a World Cup, albeit at under-age level.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Aiden Kyle Markram, 1994, Centurion, Gauteng[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram) |
| Playing style | Right-hand top-order batter; right-arm off-break bowler[1](https://www.ipl.com/player/aiden-markram) |
| International debuts | Test 28 September 2017 vs Bangladesh (scored 97); ODI 22 October 2017; T20I 22 March 2019[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/markram-set-for-test-debut) • [2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram) |
| International record | Test: 50 matches, 3,192 runs at 35.46, HS 152; ODI: 88 matches, 2,723 runs, HS 175; T20I: 77 matches, 1,966 runs, HS 86[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram) |
| Leadership | South Africa T20I captain since March 2023; led South Africa to their first ICC Men's T20 World Cup final (2024); won the 2014 U19 World Cup and the first two SA20 titles with Sunrisers Eastern Cape[4](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/64219/aiden-markram) • [5](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/ckaurwlyy95snl3502m1.pdf) • [6](https://journalnews.co.za/images/JOURNAL%20NEWS%20-%205TH%20EDITION%20-%2025%20JULY%202025.pdf) |
| Signature innings | 49-ball century vs Sri Lanka at the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the fastest century in the tournament's history[5](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/ckaurwlyy95snl3502m1.pdf) |
| Franchise teams | Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants (IPL); Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Durban's Super Giants (SA20); Manchester Super Giants (The Hundred)[7](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/9582/AidenMarkram) |
## Early life and the 2014 Under-19 World Cup
Markram was born in Centurion, Gauteng, and attended Pretoria Boys High and Cornwall Hill College, part of the [University of Pretoria](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-pretoria) (Tuks) cricket tradition.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram) • [8](https://www.titans.co.za/player/aiden-markram/) He made his first-class debut in 2014 and became a mainstay at the top of the Titans' batting order.[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/markram-set-for-test-debut)
In the same year, aged 19, he captained South Africa to the ICC Under-19 World Cup title, the first time South Africa had won that tournament, and was the team's leading run-scorer and third overall in the event.[8](https://www.titans.co.za/player/aiden-markram/) • [9](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/muhftkbnhgzaqtkj64ol.pdf) Cricket South Africa named him Domestic Newcomer of the Year in May 2017.[10](https://cricket.co.za/player/aiden-markram/)
## Test career
Markram's Test debut came against Bangladesh in the opening game of the two-Test series at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom, from 28 September 2017, when he was 22 years old and expected to open with [Dean Elgar](https://www.edgepedia.org/dean-elgar).[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/markram-set-for-test-debut) He fell just short of a century on debut with 97.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram) His first Test series against Australia was a success: he scored two centuries, 143 and 152, as South Africa won the 2018 series 3-1.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram)
His Test place was less secure later in his career. He was dropped from the Test side in 2022, returned in 2023, and cemented his spot with hundreds against the [West Indies](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-indies) and India.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram) The Newlands hundred against India in the 2023-24 series, 106, was the only score in excess of fifty in a match in which a wicket fell every 20 balls, the best such frequency in the history of [Test cricket](https://www.edgepedia.org/test-cricket); Wisden Cricket Monthly selected it as the men's Test innings of 2024.[11](https://www.wisden.com/series/india-in-south-africa-2023-24/cricket-news/why-aiden-markrams-classic-newlands-hundred-ranks-among-the-toughest-in-test-history-sa-vs-ind) • [12](https://www.wisden.com/amp/cricket-news/wisdens-mens-test-innings-of-2024-no1-aiden-markrams-106)
The peak of his Test career came at the ICC World Test Championship Final in June 2025 at Lord's, where his match-defining innings, built in a long stand with captain [Temba Bavuma](https://www.edgepedia.org/temba-bavuma), helped South Africa to the title; [Ricky Ponting](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricky-ponting) described the innings as match-defining, and Markram's display earned him the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for July 2025.[13](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/teams/7/players/64219/aiden-markram)
## White-ball career and captaincy
Markram made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in late 2017, as a replacement for the injured [Wayne Parnell](https://www.edgepedia.org/wayne-parnell), after strong domestic performances.[9](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/muhftkbnhgzaqtkj64ol.pdf) His T20I debut followed in March 2019.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram) In limited-overs internationals he has built his game on rapid scoring and adaptable match-winning strokeplay.[14](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/64219/aiden-markram?appview=true)
South Africa announced him as the country's new T20I captain on 6 March 2023.[4](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/64219/aiden-markram) Under his leadership South Africa reached their first [ICC Men's T20 World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/icc-mens-t20-world-cup) final, at the 2024 edition.[5](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/ckaurwlyy95snl3502m1.pdf) At the 2023 [Cricket World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/cricket-world-cup) he struck a 49-ball century against Sri Lanka, the fastest century in Cricket World Cup history.[5](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/ckaurwlyy95snl3502m1.pdf) He has also captained South Africa in ODIs, including in the second ODI against Australia.[15](https://www.wisden.com/players/aiden-markram-64219) At the 2026 T20 World Cup he led an unbeaten South African run to the semi-finals, attributing the side's form to smart, calm cricket.[16](https://www.gulf-times.com/pdf/2026/03/04/sport-20260304-1.pdf?ts=013922)
## Franchise career
Markram has been a sought-after player in franchise leagues, with clubs including [Sunrisers Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunrisers-hyderabad), Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Durham, Hampshire, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Durban's Super Giants, Texas Super Kings and Manchester Super Giants.[7](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/9582/AidenMarkram)
**SA20.** He captained Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title in the first two seasons of the SA20 and led them to three consecutive finals, losing the third to MI Cape Town.[8](https://www.titans.co.za/player/aiden-markram/) • [6](https://journalnews.co.za/images/JOURNAL%20NEWS%20-%205TH%20EDITION%20-%2025%20JULY%202025.pdf) Ahead of the fourth season he declined a pre-signing offer and entered the auction, and he subsequently moved to Durban's Super Giants, for whom he scored 309 runs at 44.14 with a highest score of 108 in the 2026 season.[6](https://journalnews.co.za/images/JOURNAL%20NEWS%20-%205TH%20EDITION%20-%2025%20JULY%202025.pdf) • [17](https://www.sa20.co.za/player/aiden-markram)
**IPL.** During the 2026 IPL season, he represented the [Lucknow Super Giants](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucknow-super-giants) and made 231 runs across 12 innings, but left the side partway through the campaign to attend to a personal matter: the imminent arrival of his first child.[1](https://www.ipl.com/player/aiden-markram)
**The Hundred.** He was Manchester Super Giants' men's captain in the 2026 competition. On 5 August 2026 the club confirmed he had returned to South Africa for personal reasons; [Jos Buttler](https://www.edgepedia.org/jos-buttler) took over the captaincy for the remainder of the tournament and New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell joined as the replacement overseas player.[18](https://www.manchestersupergiants.co.uk/news/aiden-markram-update-jos-buttler-captain-manchester-super-giants-the-hundred-2026-cricket)
## Recognition
Markram, Simon Harmer, and Laura Wolvaardt took the top honors at the 2026 Cricket South Africa Awards, with Markram recognized among the Proteas captains.[19](https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/cricket/proteas-captains-markram-and-wolvaardt-take-top-honours-at-cricket-sa-awards/) Commentators have described him as a stroke-maker combining classical, high-elbow technique with modern white-ball dynamism, embodying the leading edge of South Africa's contemporary cricketing era.[14](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/64219/aiden-markram?appview=true)
## References
1. [Aiden Markram (South Africa) IPL Career Stats, IPL](https://www.ipl.com/player/aiden-markram)
2. [Aiden Markram, cricket.com.au player profile](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A668/aiden-markram)
3. [Markram set for Test debut, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/markram-set-for-test-debut)
4. [Aiden Markram, ICC player profile](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/64219/aiden-markram)
5. [ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Teams & Players section (ICC PDF)](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/ckaurwlyy95snl3502m1.pdf)
6. [Journal News, 5th edition, 25 July 2025 (SA20 auction coverage)](https://journalnews.co.za/images/JOURNAL%20NEWS%20-%205TH%20EDITION%20-%2025%20JULY%202025.pdf)
7. [Aiden Markram profile, Cricbuzz](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/9582/AidenMarkram)
8. [Aiden Markram, Titans](https://www.titans.co.za/player/aiden-markram/)
9. [ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, Team Profiles section (ICC PDF)](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/muhftkbnhgzaqtkj64ol.pdf)
10. [Aiden Markram, Cricket South Africa](https://cricket.co.za/player/aiden-markram/)
11. [Why Aiden Markram's classic Newlands hundred ranks among the toughest in Test history, Wisden](https://www.wisden.com/series/india-in-south-africa-2023-24/cricket-news/why-aiden-markrams-classic-newlands-hundred-ranks-among-the-toughest-in-test-history-sa-vs-ind)
12. [Wisden's Men's Test Innings of 2024, No. 1: Aiden Markram's 106, Wisden](https://www.wisden.com/amp/cricket-news/wisdens-mens-test-innings-of-2024-no1-aiden-markrams-106)
13. [Aiden Markram, ICC T20 World Cup 2026 player page](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/teams/7/players/64219/aiden-markram)
14. [Aiden Markram, ICC player profile (app view)](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/64219/aiden-markram?appview=true)
15. [Aiden Markram, Wisden player profile](https://www.wisden.com/players/aiden-markram-64219)
16. [Gulf Times sport section, 4 March 2026](https://www.gulf-times.com/pdf/2026/03/04/sport-20260304-1.pdf?ts=013922)
17. [Aiden Markram, Betway SA20 player profile](https://www.sa20.co.za/player/aiden-markram)
18. [Manchester Super Giants: Aiden Markram Update](https://www.manchestersupergiants.co.uk/news/aiden-markram-update-jos-buttler-captain-manchester-super-giants-the-hundred-2026-cricket)
19. [Proteas captains Markram and Wolvaardt take top honours at Cricket SA Awards, The Citizen](https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/cricket/proteas-captains-markram-and-wolvaardt-take-top-honours-at-cricket-sa-awards/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Cricket › Cricket people and teams › People › Men's international cricketers › South African men's cricketers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license