After the 2023 IPL player auction in December last year, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) was the only franchise without a captain having parted ways with former skipper Kane Williamson before the auction. The Sunrisers retained the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Aiden Markram and signed Indian opener Mayank Agarwal at the auction. Agarwal, who led the Punjab Kings was tipped to become the next captain of the 2016 champions, especially given that Sunrisers may have had enough of overseas captains, however, off-spinner R Ashwin wants another foreign player to take over the reins of SRH.
Ashwin said that Markram will become the next SRH captain following his heroics with Sunrisers’ sister franchise in SA20. Markram led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the maiden title in the inaugural SA20. Not only his captaincy skills were lauded, Markram was also named the player of the tournament as he amassed 336 runs with the bat, including a match-winning century in the semi-final against Joburg Super Kings and took 11 wickets with the ball. Ashwin said that Markram proved why he is a star and he had no doubt in his mind that the South African batting all-rounder will leave behind the likes of Mayank and Bhuvneshwar in the race.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “Aiden Markram proved why he is a star. He had to have a good season and that is why Sunrisers had backed him. I have no doubt Aiden Markram will be the captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad as well in the IPL. It was an extraordinary SA20 season for him. He scored runs and picked up wickets as well.
So, very well done to Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Despite a few injury concerns for MI Cape Town, the Sunrisers were the one that gelled well as a team,” he added.
Ashwin also mentioned that SRH have picked a good squad this year and they might have some very good things in store in the 16th edition of the cash-rich league.
“I feel they picked a good team at the IPL auction as well, keeping the future in mind. So, I think they will start getting results very soon. So, well done. Looking forward to that,” he added.
Mayank didn’t have a good season with the bat when he led the Punjab side in the IPL and hence was released while the Orange Army would be hesitant to pick an overseas captain once again having parted ways with both its former captains David Warner and Kane Williamson in the last two years. Whoever may be, the Sunrisers have a huge call.
