Exclusive: New Era at Sunrisers Eastern Cape as Tristan Stubbs Takes Over Captaincy

A new era has begun at Sunrisers Eastern Cape as Tristan Stubbs steps into the captaincy role, taking over from Aiden Markram ahead of the upcoming SA20 season. 

The two-time champions were forced into a leadership change after Markram entered the auction and was snapped up by Durban’s Super Giants, bringing an end to a highly successful chapter for the franchise.

Stubbs revealed that the possibility of captaincy had been discussed well in advance.

“I knew I was going to be captain. [Head coach] Adrian Birrell said before the auction they would go all out to retain Markram, but if we didn’t get him, they wanted me to be captain. That’s literally what happened, and I’m pretty excited.”

Losing a Key Figure

Markram’s departure is a significant blow for Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Under his leadership, the side reached multiple finals and established itself as the dominant force in SA20. His move to Durban’s Super Giants came after the franchise tabled the highest bid of R14 million.

While losing their captain was far from ideal, Sunrisers quickly pivoted to strengthen their squad.

“We had a plan to retain Markram, but that didn’t happen,” Stubbs explained. “So plan B was to get Quinny [Quinton de Kock], [Matthew] Breetzke and Anrich Nortje for Aiden’s auction value. Thankfully, we got three quality players who bring serious experience.”

T20 Focus for Stubbs

Stubbs’ elevation to captain comes at a time when his personal form has been under scrutiny. The explosive batter, who was signed for a record fee in the inaugural season, has endured a lean run in T20 cricket and missed out on selection for the recent ODI series against India.

However, Stubbs remains focused on rediscovering his best form as the Sunrisers prepare for their season opener against Paarl Royals on December 27.

“For me, I just want to play good-quality T20 cricket,” he said. 

“We’ve been swapping and changing a lot [with the Proteas], and I’m excited to get stuck into T20 games for the next while. SA20 is the most fun time of the year, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Despite the added responsibility of leadership, Stubbs is clear about his priorities.

“The goal is simple—ultimately getting the job done for the team. I want to be there at the end, not out. We’ll need to play to the conditions because they’re different around the country, so assessing that will be key.”

With a refreshed squad and a new captain at the helm, Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be aiming to maintain their winning standards as they chase a historic third SA20 title.