Markram insists on 'nothing disrespectful' in Aussies' Test return

Australia's long-time tormentor at the crease Aiden Markram urged South African crowds to leave "disrespect" at the door for next month's Tests, but insisted inter-team friendships born from franchise leagues will be quickly forgotten once the series begins.

Markram will pull on a Proteas shirt for the first time in six months when he returns from personal leave for Sunday's second ODI at the Wanderers, where a possible battle with Pat Cummins could make for a beguiling amuse-bouche to next month's three-Test bout.

The opener, who boasts three of his eight Test tons against Australia, will be one of the hosts' most important players in the rivals' first red-ball encounter in South Africa since 2018, and first overall since his player-of-the-match turn in last year's World Test Championship final at Lord's.

It was on the Highveld eight years ago against a flattened Australia team, reeling from the fallout from the Cape Town scandal, where the then 23-year-old posted his second century of a breakout series.

"Look, I've got no idea what it's going to be like. But 2018 is a long time ago," Markram told reporters in Johannesburg on Saturday. "You'll have fans that probably haven't forgot, but you'll have quite a few fans that would have moved on from that as well and understood that things look a lot different now than it did maybe back then.

"Obviously a lot of change in personnel in the Australian side and in our side as well. So I think that also will make a bit of a difference. Either way, it's not going to be a series that either team is going to (take a) step back (in).

"Because the games are going to be played that way, I think it will make for good watching from a crowd's point of view. By no means are we pushing for anything disrespectful, but you hope the crowd really get into the game and enjoy watching good cricket."

Since Markram's 2018 introduction to Australia, no Test batter has averaged more against them than Markram's 61.60 (min 10 Test innings), boosted by his fourth-innings 136 in the WTC decider that saw South Africa break their long-time ICC trophy hoodoo.

The 31-year-old, one of world cricket's most likeable characters, commands great respect among the Australians. He spent this year's Indian Premier League sharing a changeroom with Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis at Lucknow Super Giants, while he played under Cummins and with Travis Head in a trailblazing 2024 Sunrisers Hyderabad side.  

He suggests that although the edge between Australia and South Africa that existed in 2018 has gone, the tour that ends with a return to Newlands will be hard-nosed.

"I was still very wet behind the ears (in 2018) and was sort of just trying to stay afloat. That's what it felt like at the time," he said.

"But I think the Australians are very similar to us from a character and presence point of view. I think both teams like that. They like to feel that they're in a battle, they like to feel the heat, to feel the competition.

"For both sides, I think it brings out the best in both teams. I think generally that's why it always makes for a pretty good spectacle to watch.

"Certainly from a personal point of view, I've spent quite a bit of time now with Mitch, 'Ingo' at this last IPL and some others here and there in between as well. It's what the franchise world sort of does.

"But between these two countries, when you cross the boundary, you sort of forget about that. It's just a battle, it's a competition, it's two teams that push really hard to win games of cricket. I think because of that, that competitive nature will come out.

"But again, you're not here to be disrespectful, you're not there to cross the line or anything like that. But you are definitely here to compete and enjoy the battle."

They are not dissimilar comments to ones made by his Australian counterparts. Mitchell Starc suggested earlier this week that he was expecting to be heckled by punters but that there was "no animosity" with the South Africans.

From a white-ball perspective, the final two ODIs of the series shape as a litmus test between two sides certain to contend at next year's World Cup in southern Africa.

Even despite the Proteas having beaten them in their past five bilateral 50-over encounters, there is a sense Australia still hold the edge after Cummins' men won an epic low-scoring semi-final against South Africa on their way to the 2023 World Cup title.

"A rivalry only really comes from two teams that desperately want to beat each other, and that's healthy. That's how sport should be," said Markram.

"From an ODI point of view, there's been some incredible games. You think back to that '23 semi-final – a seriously good game of cricket as well. The Australians got out on top in that one, and by no means would we have forgotten about that.

"But you still appreciate the game of cricket that you were part of and try to push harder next time to get on the right side of the result."

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs

Second ODI: September 27, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 9:30pm AEST (D/N, 1:30pm local)

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Duan Jansen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Marsh, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Warm-up match: October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 6pm AEST (10am local)

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster