'Clean slate' for emotional Markram after significant Test ton: 'I held back the tears'

When Aiden Markram took off his helmet to celebrate a potentially career-defining sixth Test century for the Proteas on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies on Tuesday, the droplets on his cheeks weren't sweat.

He was very consciously holding back tears.

"I was fighting the tears a bit," the mercurial 28-year-old admitted afterwards on a day where his 115 was the difference between a decent and another unfulfilling day for the South Africans.   

"It meant quite a lot to me, it's been a strange journey, so I'm just grateful that it worked out. It's always a bit more special [at SuperSport Park] when you reach milestones on your home ground because you know some friends and family are present too. 

"There was a lot of relief too. That's what it boiled down to."

Considered one of the local game's most prodigiously gifted stroke-makers, Markram has endured a painful two-year period in the red-ball format since a century against Pakistan in Rawalpindi back in February 2021, crafting only a single fifty in 15 subsequent innings and eventually being dropped for late last year's trip to Australia.

READ | Markram makes his mark, but Windies fight back to even out first day against SA

As it turned out, that snub against the Baggy Greens was a blessing in disguise.

"It might've been a good thing. It felt like I was on a clean slate. Things work out quite weirdly at times. Obviously, my heart was sore not being in Australia. I spoke to team management and they were quite clear on why I wasn't selected. I was happy with those reasons," said Markram. 

"Batters need runs on the board and if you're not scoring for a team that wants to compete with the best in the world, then your position should be under scrutiny. It worked