Markram ready for Oz bumpers

JUST over seven years and a month ago Aiden Markram struck a masterful 152 against Australia at the Wanderers.

- ZAAHIER ADAMS

It was his second century of the drama-filled 2017/18 series, and it helped the Proteas seal a first-ever series win over the Aussies post-isolation.

At 23 years old, the former ICC U19 World Cup-winning captain had the world at his feet, and was touted to carry on the Proteas batting torch left behind by the legendary AB de Villiers, who was playing in his last Test.

It has not always gone according to the script for Markram since. Despite being precociously talented, as those heady days at the Bullring can attest to when Markram dispatched both the pace of Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon's off-spinners with equal disdain, there have been periods where it seemed it might all go to waste.