KARACHI: After being sidelined from South Africa’s white-ball side since the 2019 World Cup, Aiden Markram conceded on Tuesday comeback during the three-match One-day International against Pakistan is still not guaranteed.

The 26-year-old batsman — one of the few bright spots for the visitors from their 2-0 Test series defeat in Pakistan in January/February — was recalled to the ODI squad on the back of a prolific run in the domestic four-day competition with the right-hander making an unbeaten 204 and 100 in the last two fixtures for Titans.

Markram, who enhanced his reputation as one of South Africa’s batting mainstays with a defiant second-innings knock of 108 in the second Test at Rawalpindi, underscored the need for the Proteas to improve their limited-overs stocks after finishing a disappointing seventh among the 10 teams at the 2019 World Cup in England, losing five and winning just three of nine matches with one game abandoned.

“I think every series [we play] is important going forward naturally to any World Cup and the Pakistan series is equally vital from South Africa’s perspective to the 2023 mega event [in India] since it had been a while we’ve played a one-day series [when South African blanked Australia 3-0 just over a year ago]. In a sense we are starting afresh and obviously under [new captain] Temba’s [Bavuma] guidance,” Markram told a virtual media conference in Centurion, where the first ODI takes place at the SuperSport Park on Friday.

“It’s something to build on and the next couple of years will be exciting in that regard and by that World Cup comes around, each of the players would hopefully know what their role is under the new brand of cricket everyone in South Africa is expecting from us.

“Temba is a guy who likes to do a lot of planning and execute them with aggression, something we had been lacking in the past.”

Markram, who played the last of his 26 ODIs during the 2019 World Cup, revealed he was taken by surprise to be included to the ODI squad for the Pakistan series. “Yeah, it was surprising for me to get the nod considering my [one-day] record for South Africa hasn’t been as to I would have liked it to be. I think in general one can never expect selection, more so in this case for myself. But I’m certainly grateful to be here because thoroughly enjoy white-ball cricket too.

“I’m glad the selectors see me from their point of view as a white-ball player. Whether I play or not is something which players have no control. But at least, I’m heading in the right direction in terms of white-ball cricket.”

Markram warned his side to be wary of Pakistan, who considered a dangerous side, particularly on the bowling front.

“As a team we want to play positively against Pakistan who have a very good bowling attack and for that we are training as hard as we can for what should a highly exciting series,” Markram added.

The second ODI will be played at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday before the teams — who will also play a four-match T20 International series — return to Centurion for the final game on April.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2021