Graeme Smith : I hope Aiden Markram’s confidence hasn't taken a dent after ODI loss

After beating the No.1 Test team in the three-match series 2-1, South Africa were hoping to maintain that momentum in the 50-overs format but in the six-match rubber they failed to show any fighting spirit and received 5-1 thrashing on their own den. After the first ODI, South Africa’s regular skipper Faf du Plessus ruled out from the remainder of the series due to the finger injury and in his absence, Markram was picked by the selectors to lead the side.led  The former South African skipper called this decision wrong and hoped that Markram didn’t lose his confidence as skipper. 

It wasn’t the first time that Markram performed the role of the leader as the Centurion-born had already led SA’s Under 19 World Cup side to victory in 2014. Apart from that, he also led local side Titans this season and was always destined as a potential South African captain. 

Despite the presence of experienced players like Hashim Amla and JP Duminy, the management showed their trust on the young batsman. However, in front of Team India, the South African side proved inexperienced as the team had no answer to India’s top-order batting and wrist-spin attack. 

"What was disappointing for me was that I don't think the other senior players stepped up around him - the Amlas, Duminys, Millers, those guys just never got it going from a performance perspective, an intensity perspective. They needed to get behind and lead the way almost."

"You got to wonder what the chat was about in the changeroom and how they go about it. Obviously two world-class spinners, Chahal and Kuldeep, excellent finds for India. It's just great to see some spin come back into the game. The mystery spinners had left the game for a period of time - the Ajmals, Warnes, Muralitharans, there's been a little bit of a gap. So, it's great to see two guys like that come into the game, it makes the game really interesting to watch,” Smith said.

"South Africa really had no thought, no plan B or C. It was really just dot ball, dot ball, 'okay let's have a swing.' There was no real plan, let's try to build a partnership, it was almost like as the partnership builds it gets slightly easier and South Africa never found a way to do that."

"If the leadership strategically gets the thinking right, gets the tactics right and involves the right kinds of players, I think this can be a good thing for South Africa. They've exposed a few more players to the international game, they have a few more players to look at and think okay, 'how can I position that guy there, okay he looks like he might have something' and they've had some exposure,” he said.

"In the long run, there's still enough time for the World Cup to think this potentially could be a good thing. But that is only if Faf and Ottis and the selection panel get their head in the right place and strategically pick. Once the likes of de Villiers, Faf himself and de Kock are back fit, how do they put a line up together that's going to win a World Cup."