Aiden Markram returned to South Africa [Source: AFP]Manchester Super Giants have suffered a major setback in the middle of the Men’s The Hundred 2026 season after skipper Aiden Markram left the squad. Notably, the development came just before the Giants’ sixth league match against Welsh Fire on Wednesday.Interestingly, this is not the first time Aiden Markram has exited a tournament midway through a season. Earlier this year, the South African batter also left the IPL 2026 due to personal reasons ahead of a crucial clash against Rajasthan Royals. As a result, Manchester Super Giants have not only appointed a new captain but have also named a replacement for the remainder of the competition.Aiden Markram Returns To South AfricaAccording to an official statement shared by Manchester Super Giants on their X account, Aiden Markram has returned to South Africa due to personal reasons. Consequently, the franchise has handed the captaincy to former England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler for the rest of The Hundred 2026.Moreover, Buttler brings significant leadership experience to the role. Although he has not captained a franchise side regularly in T20 leagues, he has led England extensively in international cricket.Buttler captained England in 95 ODIs, winning 44 matches with a success rate of 45.83 percent. Furthermore, he also led England in 51 T20Is, registering 26 victories with a winning percentage of 50.98.Therefore, the Giants will hope Buttler’s leadership experience helps them recover from a difficult position in the tournament.Also Read: From Highest Total To Most Sixes: All Records Made In Sunrisers Leeds vs London Spirit, The Hundred 2026Michael Bracewell Named As Markram’s ReplacementSoon after confirming Markram’s departure, Super Giants also announced New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell as his replacement for the remainder of The Hundred 2026.Consequently, Markram’s absence is expected to leave a noticeable gap in the batting unit. The South African captain had been one of the team’s standout performers, scoring 117 runs in 5 innings at a strike rate of 127.17.Nevertheless, Bracewell offers valuable experience with both bat and ball. Across 218 T20 matches, he has scored 3,717 runs while also claiming 105 wickets. Therefore, he is expected to strengthen the middle order and provide another reliable bowling option.Additionally, Bracewell arrives in good touch after helping Peshawar Zalmi win the PSL 2026 title. Although he scored 190 runs and picked up five wickets in 11 matches, his overall contributions often extended beyond statistics through his all-round impact in crucial situations.Can Manchester Super Giants Still Qualify?The Giants now face a challenging path to the knockout stage. In The Hundred, the table-toppers qualify directly for the final at Lord’s, while the second and third-placed teams meet in the Eliminator to determine the other finalist.Meanwhile, the Giants currently sit 6th on the points table with 2 wins and 3 defeats from five matches with 3 league matches remaining. Notably, Super Giants still have a mathematical chance of reaching the top three. Their remaining fixtures are against Welsh Fire, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds.If the Giants win all 3 matches, they can finish with a maximum of 16 points. However, qualification is still not entirely in their hands. Instead, they will also need favourable results from other teams to keep their hopes alive.Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Test Success Not Guaranteed, Ajinkya Rahane Explains Why
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