South Africa Captain Aiden Markram on Pakistan's Turning Tracks
South Africa captain Aiden Markram says Pakistan's spin-friendly wickets are a fair challenge for his team in the upcoming Test series.
“We saw how things turned out in the English series...”
South African stand-in captain Aiden Markram has expressed his excitement for the upcoming two-test series against Pakistan, acknowledging that the home team's preparation of extreme turning wickets is a fair tactic. Markram's comments come after Pakistan's successful strategy against England last year, where they used innovative methods to create spin-friendly conditions.
Pakistan's approach to preparing wickets that offer maximum turn and grip to spinners paid off in their series against England, where they came back from a loss in the first test to win the series 2-1. Markram's team is gearing up to face a similar challenge, with the South African captain emphasizing the importance of adapting to the conditions and putting together a solid five-day performance.
Markram highlighted the absence of key players Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj, with the latter missing the first test due to a groin strain. Despite these setbacks, Markram sees opportunities for other players to step up and make a mark. Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer, who haven't played a test in two years, are likely contenders for a spot in the team.
“We saw how things turned out in the English series,” he told a press conference on Saturday. “That was obviously Pakistan's way of trying to win, and it's completely fair, and we look forward to that challenge.”
Proteas captain Aiden Markram praised his team's resilience after overcoming challenging conditions to defeat England. Following a first-test loss, South Africa staged a remarkable comeback under Markram's leadership, with the team thriving despite the absence of injured skipper Temba Bavuma.
The win was a testament to the team's character, with Markram highlighting the extreme conditions as a key factor in their success. Losing captain Ben Stokes described the conditions as “pretty extreme,” but Markram saw it as an opportunity for his team to prove themselves.
“That's where most of the focus has been, naturally looking forward to the challenges that Pakistan pose in terms of spin-friendly tracks.
“As a team that's not exposed to those conditions, it's exciting for us and a great opportunity to get things right in these conditions. We're trying to put a lot of the focus there, and ultimately put five days of good cricket together for the first Test.”
South Africa's top spinner Keshav Maharaj won't be part of the team for the first Test against Pakistan due to a groin injury. Maharaj, who recently played domestic cricket for the Dolphins in the CSA 4-Day Series, is expected to return for the second Test in Rawalpindi on October 20. His absence will be felt in the spin department, where Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer will likely fill in.
“We’ll miss Kesh heaps,” Markram told reporters. “He's incredible, even when the ball doesn't spin, so it's a big loss for us but it's an opportunity for two or three other new spinners of ours to put their hand up and stake a claim, which is really exciting.”
Preparation meets purpose. 💪#TheProteas Men’s head coach, Shukri Conrad, and his staff share insights on the team’s readiness for the Pakistan tour after an intensive training camp at the Pretoria High Performance Centre. 🇿🇦🏏 pic.twitter.com/TwDOcTnwEZ
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 10, 2025
Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer are set to play key roles in South Africa's spin department against Pakistan. Muthusamy, who has three Test caps, brings valuable experience as a left-arm spinner and all-rounder. Harmer, a 36-year-old veteran, has been recalled to the squad after a 31-month absence, having last played in 2023. With Keshav Maharaj's absence from the first Test due to injury, Harmer and Muthusamy are strong contenders to partner Prenelan Subrayen in the spin attack.
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