‘We're going to put out the best Proteas side every time we play’, says South Africa coach Shukri Conrad
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Current South Africa Test coach Shukri Conrad was elevated as the team’s all-format coach on Friday and mentioned that he had conversations with all the contracted players. His next assignment will be the WTC 2023-25 final where the Proteas will face Australia at Lord’s on June 11.
Shukri Conrad, South Africa’s newly-appointed all-format coach mentioned during his press conference that he has already had conversations with the contracted players and expected them to turn up for the Proteas whenever they play. This comes in the wake of South Africa’s tightly packed schedule this year clashing with franchise leagues like The Hundred, Major League Cricket and Caribbean Premier League.
"We're going to put out the best Proteas side every time we play,” Conrad said. “I've had conversations with our players, all-format players and guys that only play the one format that are contracted to us, that at every turn when the Proteas play, there's an expectation that they'll play for South Africa.”
"The Proteas will never be a franchise team, the Proteas will never be a league, nor will it be a convenience. This is part of building a culture and building an environment that players want to be part of. Every single player is committed to that and wants to be a part of it,” he explained.
“It's clear; black and white: when South Africa plays, I want all my players available to play. If you choose not to play for South Africa, well, then we go down that road."
Conrad during his earlier tenure had introduced mandatory rest periods last season when pacers like Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee and Lungi Ngidi were given breaks and that is set to continue this season too.
"Where rest periods are going to be emphasised or suggested, it will be exactly that - a rest period. It won't be one where you can then go and play in another league," he said.
With players like Ryan Rickelton, Jansen and David Miller in great demand for franchise leagues all over the world, Conrad was quick to emphasise the advantages of those leagues in terms of experience and financial security to the cricketers.
"By the same token, we still want our players to gain experience playing in leagues so when South Africa are not playing, guys are going to be free to play wherever they want because we want them to maximise their earning potential and then obviously come back to South Africa as better cricketers also.”
Conrad was all praise for his predecessor Rob Walter who handled the South African white-ball side before him. Under Walter, South Africa reached the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India and the finals of the T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA in 2024.
"Rob obviously laid a really good foundation and did some wonderful things. You only need to look at the performances at ICC events to see that. I'll try and build on what Rob has done," Conrad said.
South Africa’s first assignment, after Conrad’s elevation, will be against Australia as the sides clash in the World Test Championship 2023-25 final at Lord’s from June 11 and the Proteas are expected to announce their team in the coming week.
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