Proteas red-ball coach Shukri Conrad could be the man to lead the white-ball team to glory.
Image: Nokwanda Zondi
“Where to from here?” It’s been a Proteas proverb for the longest time after they inevitably fall short at ICC events.
Glory in big white-ball tournaments tends to evade the South African cricket team like Cheslin Kolbe sidesteps defenders on a rugby field. Not even Scott Scott (youngsters may need to google this) seems like he could find it at this point.
After bowing out of the Champions Trophy with a whimper on Wednesday, the Proteas’ trophy drought in ICC tournaments is now going into its 27th year. It was another painful defeat in a knockout match, as they also lost in the semi-finals of the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023 and the T20 World Cup final in 2024.
The choke tag gets bandied about after every tournament, sometimes unfairly so, but there could be a case for it after New Zealand pumped the hapless South Africans in the semi-finals in Lahore.
The Proteas lacked the intensity with ball and bat, with nobody putting their hands up to try and make a match-defining impact. Even David Miller’s century at the end was just because New Zealand had basically won the game with 10 overs to spare and had taken their foot off the gas.
Proteas White-ball Rob Walter has taken the team to the water and he needs to be given credit for doing that. But he hasn’t been able to get them to taste success in ICC tournaments. In bilateral ODI series, it hasn’t been great over the last year as well, with the Proteas losing three of their last four 50-over series.
The Test team, on the other hand, has been flying under the guidance of red-ball coach Shukri Conrad, with the team winning five of their last seven Test series and making it all the way to the World Test Championship final in June.
Of course, Conrad’s ultimate test will be in the Lord’s final against a top Australian outfit, but his charges seem to have a lot more self-belief when it comes to doing the business than the white-ball team.
The Test team basically had to win their last four Test series to qualify for the final. Every game was a must-win and they managed to find a way to get over the line in each and every one of them. Different players stood up in different matches to do something world class with the bat or ball.
So, why are the same players who played so well over the last year in Test cricket to make it to the final not producing the same sort of stout performances when it matters in white-ball cricket?
The team that lost in the semi-finals had eight Test regulars in the team, with captain Temba Bavuma also the red-ball captain. Then, logically speaking, it must have something to do with the coach or the coaching.
Conrad and Walter were appointed to their positions in January 2023. This split-coaching model was introduced by Cricket South Africa (CSA) to allow specialised focus on each format.
But while Conrad has successfully rebuilt this Test side with a mix of rookies and experienced campaigners, Walter has faced criticism for inconsistent performances.
There seems to be a lack of cohesion and tactical clarity in the white-ball setup in those crunch moments, in contrast with Conrad’s structured leadership and a “fight fire with fire” approach in Tests matches.
With two years out from a home 50-over World Cup, the Proteas ODI side is in need of a rebuild and questions must be asked whether Walter is the man to guide that process, especially if you look at the time it took Conrad to knock the Test team back into shape.
Conrad may be the better bet at this point to replace Walter as white-ball coach in terms of transforming the team in terms of getting the best out of the current crop of Proteas players. He has also worked with a lot of the current crop of youngsters, who have come through the Cricket South Africa structures.
Conrad taking over will also bring consistency in strategy, team culture, and player management, especially given the overlap of players between formats. It seems like it’s something that is desperately needed.
Walter has done really well to get the Proteas into positions where they can win things. But for all his efforts, he doesn’t look like the man who can end South Africa’s trophy drought.
The solution to that problem is maybe lurking under CSA’s noses … And his name is Shukri Conrad.
@JohnGoliath82