Friday, 09 May
1h ago
Shukri Conrad was on Friday confirmed as all-format coach of the Proteas.
Conrad had been Proteas Test coach since January 2023, but will now also take charge of the national men’s team in the ODI and T20I formats.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) said in statement that Conrad will remain at the helm of the Proteas men until the completion of the 50-over 2027 Cricket World Cup which will be held in South Africa.
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Conrad replaces Rob Walter, who resigned as Proteas white-ball coach last month.
CSA said Conrad’s appointment forms part of its broader restructuring of the national team strategy, which includes the reintroduction of a National Convenor of Selection. This role has not been occupied since Victor Mpitsang’s departure in 2023.
CSA’s Director of National Teams and High Performance, Enoch Nkwe, commented: “Shukri’s track record with the red-ball team speaks for itself. He has laid a solid foundation and instilled a strong identity within the Test environment. I’m excited to see him bring the profile and structure to the white-ball space.
“Having been part of the national setup over the past two years, he understands the demands of international cricket. He has also established sound relationships with the players and we have no doubt that he is the best person for the job. We are confident he will help us maintain our current upward trajectory and remain competitive across all three formats.”
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Conrad said he was honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility.
“Coaching the Test side has been the greatest privilege of my cricket journey, and to now oversee the white-ball teams as well is something unbelievably special.
“I’m genuinely excited about the prospects that lie ahead. South African cricket has incredible white-ball talent, from the calibre of our senior players to the emerging group of juniors aspiring to represent the Proteas. There’s a strong foundation to build on, and I believe we have what it takes to achieve something special.
“We have a busy schedule ahead, starting with the WTC Final next month, the T20 World Cup next year and our very own 50-over World Cup to follow the year after.
“During this period, planning will be key for us as we look to manage our player base to ensure that the strongest teams can be fielded in every format. We want to obviously be the best in the world in all three forms of the game and that is no doubt my number one target and goal for the Proteas.”
Conrad’s next assignment will be the ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia, taking place from 11-15 June at Lord’s in London.
His first white-ball engagement will be the T20 International tri-series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand in July.
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