Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has lauded Aiden Markram for smashing a century in the fourth innings of the WTC 2025 finals. Praising Markram’s technique, he said that the opener reminded one of South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
Australia have set a 282-run target on day 03 of the WTC Finals at Lord’s on June 13. Markram was unbeaten on 102 as South Africa scored 213 runs by the end of the day, needing only 69 runs to bag their first ICC trophy since 1998.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra has praised Aiden Markram for setting the record and also compared his techniqued to legend Jacques Kallis.
“He is the only South African batter to score a hundred in an ICC men’s final. He became the third centurion in WTC final history. He is the first to score a hundred in the fourth innings,” said Chopra.
“Let me put my hand up. I had said that the decision to bowl first after winning the toss wasn’t a good one because there would be fourth-innings pressure. 282 runs are a lot, but he dwarfed that total. His technical foundation is excellent. He reminds us a little of Jacques Kallis,” he added.
Aiden Markram has struck 11 fours in his unbeaten 102 run knock. Along with Temba Bavumahe stitched an unbroken 143 runs for third wicket partnership after South Africa were reduced to 70/2.
In the same video, Aakash Chopra has pointed out Aiden Markram needed to change his game, considering he was playing T20 cricket for the last two months.
“What would have been the difficulties for Aiden Markram? One, he was playing only T20 cricket for the last two months. So he had to unlearn his T20 habits and then focus on Test cricket. That’s a difficult job,” he said.
The cricket turned commentator added that the right-handed opener had also been dismissed for a duck in the first innings and had to negate the new ball’s threat.
“Secondly, he got out for zero in the first innings. That was also a problem. Wickets have fallen here with the new ball. If you see the first three innings, wickets had fallen with the new ball in every inning. He ensured that he came with a positive mindset,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
