Captain Dean Elgar has all but confirmed batsman Aiden Markram will be retained in the Proteas’ XI for this week’s second Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Markram was dismissed for 15 and two in the first Test at the same venue. He has not struck a half-century in Test cricket since June 2021.
“I’ve had a lot of tough conversations with him and told him, ‘You need to score runs for us’. He understands the situation he is in at the moment. His position is a little bit vulnerable,” said Elgar.
“We need guys firing. You can’t carry a few spots. It’s okay to carry one guy if he is out of form. I’ve had a lot of good conversations with Aiden over the last few weeks. I need him to return the favour.”
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Markram’s last 10 scores in Test cricket
- 2
- 15
- 16
- 8
- 31
- 7
- 1
- 13
- 14
- 0
South Africa lost the first Test by an innings and 276 runs. The match finished inside three days.
“It’s a bit of a head-scratcher for myself. We know the ability of the players we have. It’s a little bit frustrating and disappointing that we haven’t fulfilled our ability,” added Elgar.