Aiden Markram is having a stellar year in ODI cricket.

Since the end of March, he’s scored two centuries and averages 90.20 across seven innings. While one of his hundreds came against the Netherlands, who South Africa dominated, the second was against Australia last week in Potchefstroom.

Having set up a large platform in the first half of the innings with both Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma passing fifty, South Africa lost both of them in consecutive overs when Markram came to the crease. From there, he hit an unbeaten 102 off 74 balls to ensure South Africa posted a total of over 300. No one batting below Markram scored more than 32.

South Africa won that match by 111 runs. It was the start of a three-match winnings streak that saw them overcome a 2-0 deficit to win the series. After the first two ODIs, fears of a group stage exit World Cup for South Africa looked more tangible. But after their series win against one of the tournament favourites, there’s more reason for optimism.

Markram’s returns this year in the fifty-over format are long overdue. Despite being South Africa’s golden child since his international debut in 2017, his ODI career has been middling. Before his century against the Netherlands, he’d never scored a hundred in the format and averaged 30.11 from 46 innings.

It wasn’t necessarily that Markram was struggling with a string of low scores or consistency. He made scores in excess of 30 in 19 of his innings in that timeframe and registered six half-centuries. But he never kicked on and made the big runs. That has had significant consequences for South Africa.

It took Aiden Markram 50 ODIs to make his first hundred, and now he’s added another three games later 👏

On 98* facing the last ball of the innings, he smashed four to reach three figures in style. Australia need 339 to win.

SCORE: https://t.co/kAaNzww2vV#SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/OHKICTo6qa

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 12, 2023

From the beginning of 2017 to the end of 2022, South Africa’s top four averaged 43.58 runs per wicket. In matches involving Markram, who has exclusively batted in the top four in ODIs, that average dropped to 37.66. But, since the beginning of this year, South Africa’s top four has averaged 47.31 runs per wicket, second only to India’s top order. Markram has played in all but one of South Africa’s ODIs this year.

With David Miller and Heinrich Klassen also in superb fifty-over form, South Africa have one of the most dangerous Nos.4-6 in the World Cup. While Miller and Klassen promise fireworks from ball one as their evisceration of Australia in the fourth match of the series shows, Markram should be considered a double threat. His innings this year have shown he’s capable of both anchoring the innings.

Only Harry Tector has hit more sixes than Markram batting at No.4 in ODIs this year. Markram also has the highest strike rate of all those who’ve batted in the position more than four times this year, and his average is only second to Shai Hope.

Besides runs and stability, there’s another bonus of Markram’s superb recent form he brings to South Africa’s World Cup campaign. While they’ve named a squad with all their usual fearsome pacers and big hitters, there are few all-rounders for them to balance their side with. Their only real option in this department is Marco Jansen who, while impressive in his international career to date, is short on experience. Against Australia, Jansen came in at seven with Andile Phehlukwayo – who is not in their provisional World Cup squad – beneath him. As evidence of their tail’s vulnerability, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi were all dismissed for ducks in the final ODI against Australia.

While Markram is some way short of a genuine allrounder, his off-breaks could be useful in India. He has 16 wickets in ODIs and bowls at a decent economy rate (5.87). South Africa have named two spinners in their squad in Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi. With both of them in the side, it’s likely South Africa will only be able to play three seamers including Jansen. If Markram can prove he’s a reliable option to get through a chunk of overs with the ball, he could be incredibly useful.

There’s no guarantee that Markram’s exceptional year will continue into the World Cup. With how recent his uptick in runs has been and his record before that, there’s every chance he could start to struggle again. But, South Africa could do with him having a good tournament in more ways than one, and that’s looking as likely now as it has done in a very long time.

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