DC, SRH to be led by Warner, Markram

This season, David Warner and Aiden Markram will serve as captains of their respective franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the league, which begins on March 31st, the Australian will lead Delhi Capitals and the South African will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad.

After Markram led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to victory in the recent SA20, the franchise management, in consultation with head coach Brian Lara, decided to make him skipper.

“I am open to taking up the SRH leadership if it comes my way but I will not mind if it does not. I am prepared but it is up to the management,” Markram told Cricbuzz recently in Johannesburg. A new captain was required for the Hyderabad side after Kane Williamson, their captain last year, was released by the franchise before the auction. SRH finished eighth among 10 teams last year.

In the case of Capitals, a change in captaincy was more about chance than performance. After regular skipper Rishabh Pant had his traumatic accident, which left him out for the season, the franchise had to decide on a new leader. Axar was considered as a potential replacement, but the more experienced Warner ultimately got the job. The fact that Pant will be back next year was also taken into account. The selection of Warner was additionally weighted by Ricky Ponting being their coach.

The Australian team was led by Warner during the first two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests, but he is currently home in Sydney after suffering a hairline fracture in his elbow. However, Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed on Thursday that Warner would play the three ODIs following the BGT.

In addition to having captained Australia previously, Warner had been the captain for SRH for four and a half seasons and had even led them to victory in 2016 before parting ways with them in 2021.