Markram has only been playing for the Titans since 2015 and his future appearances will be limited as he chases international glory with the Proteas, but he is certain to go down as a legend of the franchise.

Born and raised in Pretoria, ever since he captained the SA U19s to their first and only junior world cup triumph in 2014, Markram has been one of the most highly-rated players in the country.

He served an apprenticeship with the Northerns team before announcing himself in spectacular fashion with centuries in his first two four-day games.

A natural leader, he was groomed to take over the captaincy of the franchise and led the Titans in three Sunfoil Series matches in 2017/18 before his international career took off.

He made a similarly fast start with 380 runs in his first four innings, but was a marked man against big guns India and Australia. Unsurprisingly though, given his solid technique and superb temperament, Markram came through those series with aplomb and was the leading run-scorer in the epic series win over Australia.

In torrid batting conditions last summer, Markram still managed to average 35.33 in the five Tests he played, while he averaged 41 in the eight ODIs he played, sealing his place in the World Cup squad.

He has already captained South Africa, in the ODI series against India, and is a brilliant white-ball player as well. He uses his strengths brilliantly and can both build a long innings and also clear the boundary in the closing overs, as he showed when scoring 183 for the Titans against the Highveld Lions at the Wanderers in 2016/17, the highest ever score in franchise 50-over cricket, since equalled by team-mate Theunis de Bruyn.

Markram was at it again in last season’s triumphant Momentum One-Day Cup campaign, making three centuries in five innings, including 127 off 88 balls in the final against the Dolphins, and a phenomenal 169 off 128 deliveries against the Cape Cobras at Newlands, sharing a world record sixth-wicket stand of 272 with Farhaan Behardien, to lift the Titans from 31 for five to a matchwinning total of 320 for six.

He can also bowl effective right-arm off-spin that has proven successful in limited-overs cricket and is a fine all-round fielder.