Aiden Markram is a South African top-order batter, occasional right-arm off-spin bowler, and the national T20I captain. Under his leadership, South Africa reached the final of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and the semi-finals of the 2026 edition. He holds the record as the first South African player to score two centuries in his first three Test matches. Across formats, his international run tally includes 3,192 runs in 50 Tests, 2,708 runs in 86 ODIs, and 1,966 runs in 77 T20Is. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Markram made his debut with the Punjab Kings in 2021 before moving to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) from 2022 to 2024, where he also served as franchise captain. During the 2025 mega auction, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) acquired him for his base price of ₹2 Crore. He delivered a productive 2025 campaign, scoring 445 runs in 13 matches at an average of 34.23 and a strike rate of 148.83, which included five half-centuries. Based on his top-order consistency, LSG officially retained him at his ₹2 Crore salary ahead of the 2026 season. Across his 57-match IPL career, Markram has accumulated 1,440 runs at an overall strike rate of 135.08, registering 10 half-centuries and taking 6 wickets.