Cricket South Africa probably has its most straightforward coaching decision to make in their history when considering the appointment of the new Proteas white-ball coach following Rob Walter’s shock resignation.
Appointing red-ball coach Shukri Conrad to oversee all formats is a no-brainer following the unbelievable work he has done with the Test side over the last few years, which includes leading the team to the World Test Championship final against Australia in June.
Walter took the Proteas to their first-ever men’s World Cup final when they broke their 32-year semi-final jinx at the last T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. He also guided the Proteas to the semi-finals of both the 2023 ODI World Cup and last month’s Champions Trophy.
But in between those tournaments he has struggled for results, especially without key while mixing and matching and trying to build capacity. The Protea are looking to get the next generation ready to compete for that elusive trophy by the time the next 50-over World Cup arrives on South African shores in 2027.
Conrad, on the other hand, has successfully rebuilt this Test side with a mix of rookies and experienced campaigners. They had to win their last four Test series to qualify for the Lord’s final and they did so while playing under immense pressure and producing top performances in clutch situations.
Conrad taking over will also bring much-needed cohesion from one format to the next. IOL Sport understands that the players sometimes struggled to adapt going from one cricket philosophy to another.
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.
But most importantly, Conrad is a winner. He has done so everywhere he has been coached at the senior level. He embraces challenges, like taking charge of the Proteas ODI team for three matches against England before Walter began his tenure.
That series was crucial to the Proteas’ qualification campaign for the 2023 World Cup after they had forfeited an away ODI series against Australia. The Proteas ended up winning 2-1, which went a long way in helping them qualify for the showpiece event in India.
Conrad has the credentials, qualifications and track record. His appointment should be the easiest appointment CSA will ever make.
@JohnGoliath82
