Test cricket has always been my most favourite format: Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram stole the show as he scored a majestic century in the fourth innings of the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Lord's Cricket Ground in London, helping South Africa chase down a 282-run target against Australia's world-class bowling attack.

Markram's sensational knock (136 off 207) played a huge role in helping the Proteas end an agonising 27-year wait to win an ICC title. South Africa got their hands on the coveted WTC mace on Saturday, June 14, as Kyle Verreynne hit the winning run at the Home of Cricket.

After the memorable win, an emotional Markram expressed his love for Test cricket. He hoped that youngsters in the Rainbow Nation would understand the importance of the longest format of the game and value the Test cap.

"It [Test] has always been my most favourite and most important format. Naturally, the choice of format is not in our hands, it is sort of the cards that you get dealt, really. It is really important, in my opinion, to keep Test cricket as the No. 1 format in South Africa. We understand the dynamics of the cricket world, but it is more about the young guy coming through and for him to consider the Test cap as the most important thing in South Africa. How long he plays for is a completely different conversation nowadays, but the No. 1 priority should be to play Test cricket, and I have always believed that," Markram said after the WTC Final.

No team had chased such a target at the Lord's Cricket Ground in the last two decades. However, South Africa showed immense belief in their abilities and managed to register a five-wicket win. Markram said that all the questions had hopefully been answered by the Proteas, who had been so close to winning ICC titles, especially in recent years.

"All the questions that have been asked in the past have now hopefully been answered. In my opinion, the WTC Final was going to be the toughest one, as many days of good cricket can only get you results," Markram said.

Markram was dismissed when South Africa needed just six runs to win. He clipped a delivery off his pads to the right of Travis Head, who took an excellent diving catch at mid-wicket. South Africa's T20 skipper said that he would have loved to have taken his team over the line and expressed how disappointed he was on failing to do the same.

"I wish I could have (stood there and soaked in the standing ovation). But that is me being me, I was so angry at myself when I got out. But there is definitely one or two memories from that," he concluded.