Shukri Conrad named Head Coach across all formats for South Africa until 2027

SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa’s current Test coach Shukri Conrad has been appointed to lead the country’s white-ball teams as part of an expanded role that will run until the home ODI World Cup in 2027.

Conrad succeeds Rob Walter, who resigned in April, marking the end of South Africa’s experiment with split coaching roles for the time being. In a significant shift, Conrad will now work alongside a selection convener, a position yet to be filled.

This change departs from the previous setup, where the head coach was responsible for all selection duties. Cricket South Africa (CSA) decided not to advertise or conduct interviews for the white-ball coach position, as it merged the role into Conrad’s existing responsibilities.

However, a call for applications for the selection convener role was made, with the deadline closing on April 29. The announcement of the new convener is expected shortly. “I’m truly honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the national team across all three formats,” Conrad said in a CSA statement.

“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.”

Conrad had originally applied for both the white- and red-ball coaching positions when CSA sought a replacement after Mark Boucher’s departure in 2022. At that time, CSA decided to centralize selection responsibility under the head coach. Conrad briefly filled in for Walter at the start of his tenure in January 2023 when South Africa played a crucial series against England to secure their qualification for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

South Africa won the series 2-1, with ODI captain Temba Bavuma, who had been struggling with form and was dropped from the T20 side, making a memorable century in the second match.

It was during this series that Conrad appointed Bavuma as Test captain. Currently, Bavuma leads both the Test and ODI sides, while Aiden Markram captains the T20I team. Conrad’s first international coaching role comes after extensive experience in South Africa’s domestic cricket scene. He coached the Lions and Cobras franchises, winning four titles—three in white-ball formats.

Under his guidance, South Africa reached the final of this year’s World Test Championship, where they will face Australia. Conrad has also led South Africa to seven consecutive Test wins, their second-longest streak after nine victories in 2002-03.

“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,” Enoch Nkwe, CSA director of national teams and high-performance.

“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,” he concluded.