Shukri Conrad, the current coach of South Africa’s Test team, will now also oversee the nation’s white-ball cricket sides. This decision extends his role, previously focused on Tests, to include one-day internationals and T20s until the home ODI World Cup in 2027. Conrad replaces Rob Walter, who stepped down in April. This marks a temporary end for South Africa’s experiment with separate coaches for different formats.
Notable in this transition is that Conrad won’t have the sole responsibility of selecting teams. Instead, he will work alongside a selection convener, a role for which Cricket South Africa (CSA) recently closed applications. “I’m truly honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the national team across all three formats,” Conrad expressed in a CSA statement. He further shared his enthusiasm and belief in the potential of South Africa’s white-ball talents, emphasising the mix of experienced seniors and promising juniors.
Conrad originally sought to coach both white- and red-ball teams following Mark Boucher’s departure in 2022. At that time, CSA opted to eliminate the traditional selection panel, giving coaches more responsibility over team selection. Conrad first stepped in for Walter in January 2023 during a critical series against England, which South Africa won 2-1, securing their spot in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Temba Bavuma, the ODI captain who had been struggling, notably scored a significant century in that series.
Enoch Nkwe, CSA’s Director of Cricket, praised Conrad’s past achievements, stating, “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.”
Beyond his recent international role, Conrad has a wealth of domestic experience, having coached the Lions and Cobras, and won four domestic titles, three in white-ball formats. Under his guidance, South Africa has reached the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia and achieved a seven-match Test winning streak.
As Conrad takes on his expanded role, South African cricket embraces a unified coaching strategy, hoping to build on the solid base and achieve continued success across all formats.
