‘Indian conditions tough for Test cricket’

NEW DELHI: Aiden Markram, the South Africa batsman, acknowledged that conditions in India will be tough during the three Tests, but hopes to draw on his South Africa A experience to help counter those challenges.

South Africa Test opener Aiden Markram prepared for the Tests with a superb 161 for the ‘A’ side in their second four-day game against India A in Mysore. The visitors played only one innings and scored 400, thanks largely to centuries from Markram and Wiaan Mulder (131) to help draw the match.

While South Africa A performed poorly in the first four-day game, losing the match by seven wickets, Markram’s return to form just a few days ahead of the Tests bodes well for the national side.

The 24-year-old is confident he can apply the lessons from the A series to the bigger stage. “From a personal perspective, it was nice to spend time out in the middle. I think the wickets we get will be a lot different to the wickets we got in the A series,” Markram told reporters ahead of the warm-up game.

“In the field as well, it was nice for us as fielders to be on our feet for long periods of time and for our bowlers to bowl plenty of spells in these hot conditions. I took a lot from the A side games and I’m ready to go in the Test matches.”

Back with the senior side now, Markram is looking forward to the Test series. “The guys are positive and upbeat and we’re maintaining a really good language in the changeroom, a really strong language. At the end of the day, we’re not going to harp on about conditions, we pretty much know what to expect and we just need to get the job done,” he added.