Ravichandran Ashwin picks foreign player as captain of Hyderabad franchise for upcoming edition of Indian T20 league

R. Ashwin and Hyderabad (Source - Twitter)

India’s veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has picked Aiden Markram as the skipper of the Hyderabad franchise for the upcoming season of the Indian T20 League. The 28-year-old all-rounder from South Africa has led Sunrisers Eastern Cape toward the title in the inaugural season SA20 T20 League.

Markram was also awarded Player of the Tournament scoring 366 runs from 12 matches at an average of 33.27, including a half-century and a hundred striking at 127.97. He also impressed with the ball by taking 11 wickets at an economy rate of 6.19. Sunrisers defeated Pretoria Capitals in the final played at Wanderers Stadium on February 12. The Capitals were bowled out for 135 and the winning total was chased by the Eastern Cape with 4 wickets and 22 balls remaining.

“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,” said Ashwin in a video uploaded on his Youtube channel.

“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,” the Indian spinner further added

Markram was one of the players retained by Hyderabad for the upcoming season. The franchise released the ex-skipper Kane Williamson, who has now been bought by the Gujarat franchise in the 2023 auction for INR 2 crore. Hyderabad didn’t have a great outing in the previous two seasons, finishing last in 2021 and in eighth position in 2022. Ashwin believes that Hyderabad has made a good squad for the 2023 season which may help them in getting better results in the future.

“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,” said Ashwin.