In a recent development, the Durban Super Giants have named South Africa opener Aiden Markram as their captain for the SA20 2025-26 season through a video on their official social media account. Notably, the franchise secured the Proteas T20I captain for a record-breaking price during the recent auction.
The South Africa T20I captain has proved his leadership in the shortest format. He led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to consecutive SA20 titles in 2023 and 2024 and finished as runners-up in 2025. However, Markram chose to leave the Eastern Cape and enter the SA20 auction, which concluded earlier this month.
Aiden Markram Named Durban Super Giants Captain for SA20 2025-26
Aiden Markram was one of the most in-demand players at the SA20 auction. Durban Super Giants won a bidding war to secure him for a record 14 million rand. He became the most expensive player in the auction before being surpassed by Dewald Brevis, who went for 16.5 million to Pretoria Capitals.
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Markram’s experience and past success made him the clear choice for captaincy. Durban Super Giants announced Markram as their captain for the SA20 2025-26 season through a cinematic AI video.
DSG have yet to claim a title in the first three editions. The Super Giants reached the 2024 SA20 final but fell short against Markram-led Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who clinched their second consecutive championship.
Aiden Markram Signed by Lucknow Super Giants in IPL
Durban Super Giants acquired Proteas T20I captain Aiden Markram at the SA20 2025 auction. Markram has a connection with the franchise, as he also played for its sister team, Lucknow Super Giants, in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Following a last-place finish in the previous season, Durban Super Giants invested heavily to rebuild their squad. They added fast bowler Gerald Coetzee for R7.4 million and Kwena Maphaka for R2.3 million.
Local players Ethan Bosch, Andile Simelane, and Marques Ackerman have also been picked. Lance Klusener has been retained as head coach, and the franchise is determined to bounce back.
Markram will now earn three times his IPL salary. He was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 2 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction last year.
Aiden Markram. That’s it, that’s the 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯💙 pic.twitter.com/fKVXYZRJc4
— Durban’s Super Giants (@DurbansSG) September 13, 2025
Rishabh Pant’s LSG Failed to Reach the IPL 2025 Playoffs
The Lucknow Super Giants struggled to make an impact in the IPL 2025. They finished seventh in the points table with six wins from 14 matches and failed to reach the playoffs. Expectations were low for the team following a disappointing auction.
Rishabh Pant was acquired for a record ₹27 crore at the mega auction. He became the costliest player in IPL history. The southpaw scored 269 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 133.16, including a standout 118* off 61 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final league game.
Mayank Yadav was retained for ₹11 crore but played only two games, taking two wickets at an economy of 12.50. Wrist-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, also retained for ₹11 crore, took nine wickets in 11 innings with an economy of 10.83.
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