"Aiden Markram didn't know what was happening at SRH in IPL 2023.."- Aakash Chopra

Former India batsman Aakash Chopra has thrown his support behind Aiden Markram who was recently sacked as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 2023, the South Africa star was named as the SRH captain after Kane Williamson joined Gujarat Titans.

Aiden Markram took charge of the team after his successful stint as the captain of Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the inaugural edition of the SA20. He led the team from the very front and guided them to the title. The right-handed batsman also finished the tournament as the highest run-scorer.

However, he could not replicate the success in the IPL. He failed to make an impression both as a captain as well as a batsman. SRH finished at the bottom of the points table with just four wins from 14 games. As a batter, Aiden Markram managed a modest 248 runs in 13 games at an average of 22.55.

Aakash Chopra defends Aiden Markram:

While many expected SRH to give Aiden Markram another season as a captain especially after he led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title in SA20 2024 as well, the Hyderabad-based outfit decided otherwise. On Monday (March 4), they announced Pat Cummins as the captain of the team.

With Markram sacked, Aakash Chopra leaped in his defense and said that the South African did not have the best environment to function as a captain. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Chopra began by highlighting Markram’s success as a captain in SA20 before saying that the Proteas star led SRH when there was very little clarity.

“There is a player named Aiden Markram who benefitted the SunRisers franchise a lot. He made the Sunrisers Eastern Cape the champions for two successive years in the SA20 league. However, he has been removed from the captaincy here. He captained one year in total where I felt there was a lot of confusion,” he said.

“He didn’t know what was happening. He was asked at times where Umran Malik was and he replied he wasn’t aware and that the person who made the team should be asked about it. That is where he was but he has been sidelined now,” added Chopra.

Markram will be looking to move on from the sacking and prove himself as a batter in IPL 2024, scheduled to get underway on March 22. SRH will open their campaign on March 23 against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens./=