IPL 2025: Marsh, Pooran getting out early brought the best out of Markram against DC, says Boucher

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Mark Boucher, the former Mumbai Indians head coach, believes the early dismissals of Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran allowed Aiden Markram to shine by taking calculated risks while hitting a fine 66 off 45 balls in the side’s narrow two-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR).

"From a mental space, he (Markram) would have come into the IPL not with the biggest contract. You're playing with Marsh and Pooran, you probably felt that he'd be the guy to take the backward step there.

“I think when Marsh left for personal reasons, that's when Markram sort of came into his own because he almost adopted that 'I'm the senior player here' (in this position). With Marsh and Pooran getting out (early in this game), I thought that brought the best out of him as well," said Boucher on ESPNCricinfo.

Despite a slow start to IPL 2025 after being bought by LSG for Rs 2 crore, Markram has amassed 53, 47, 58, and 66 in four of his last five matches as the side’s designated opener alongside Marsh. "Aiden is a natural leader and he is leading South Africa for those reasons as well."

"So when an opportunity like that arises, he'll take it on himself to say, 'Right, I'm the guy who they trust now to bat through the innings and if there's a risk to be taken and a smart risk at that, I'm the guy who'll have to do that'. So it almost forces his hand, which I think sometimes brings the best out of player, certainly brings the best out of Markram," added Boucher.

Markram had made his T20I debut for South Africa as an opener in 2019, before it became to number three or four in 2021. According to Boucher, that move has improved Markram’s game, making him a complete player in this format of the game.

"Taking a batter who was always an opener, moving him to the No. 4 position (for South Africa) because he was young enough to be able to make the adaption and was good enough to make an adaption as well, he learned how to play spin in the middle, so he learned different shots - reverse laps and all that type of stuff - which you have to do to keep growing as a player."

"Now towards the prime of his career, he moved back to opening. So he can do the opening role, he's got a good enough technique, he's a Test player as well, he's got the aggression up front and effort if the game does go into the middle, he's got that game as well. So he's developed as a player and a more all-around player," he concluded.

--IANS

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