Virat’s desperation to win at any cost a lesson: SA captain Markram

CENTURION: Despite the hurt of a humiliating series loss, South Africa’s young stand-in captain Aiden Markram paid Virat Kohli a glowing compliment, saying the Indian skipper wants to win at all costs. “His (Virat’s) desperation to win games for his side is massive, and that’s why he conducts himself like he does. It’s all from a competitive point of view, it’s nothing malicious.

“That desperation is shown when he bats -- he doesn’t just get his side close to the line, he gets them over it, as we saw again tonight. So, there are a lot of things I can learn from him, there are a lot of things I can learn from their team as a whole… I’m taking little pieces from here and there,” said Markram, a former U-19 World Cup skipper handed the job in the series after injury to Faf du Plessis.

Markram said: “He (Kohli) made a massive difference. He’s in incredible touch and showing it. His hunger for runs and desperation to finish games is up there with the very best, and that’s why he is one of the best players in the world. He’s been one (major) difference. Their spinners have also played a massive role. He’s had a great series and credit must be given where it is due.”

The SA stand-in skipper agreed with coach Ottis Gibson that he hasn’t been able to play his natural game. “He’s got full right to say that just by watching with the naked eye. I wasn’t playing my usual game, and pressure or not being in the zone or in the moment is probably the reason. He’s spot on.”

Admitting that he seemed to have wilted under pressure, Markram said, “Look, there’s a lot of pressure. As an individual, I set high standards for myself, and not having done well this series, there was that form of pressure as well. So, there are various forms of pressure --captaincy is just one of them. But, like I mentioned, it is pressure I enjoy and I’d like to enjoy it more in the future.”

Markram is considered a future skipper.

While the bowlers could not take wickets up front, South African batsmen have let the team down. Like Hashim Amla on Thursday, Markram too felt the batsmen were to be blamed more for the ODI series loss.

“As a batting unit, we haven’t paced our innings. Faf did it well in the first game. But since then, we haven’t constructed our innings well as a unit.”

› His hunger for runs and desperation to finish games is up there with the very best, and that’s why he is one of the best players in the world. On Virat Kohli

› I wasn’t playing the usual game I play, and whether that was due to pressure or not being in the zone or in the moment, is probably the reason. On his poor form in ODIs