Shukri Conrad has been appointed as South Africa men’s all-format head coach, said Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday. Conrad, who was the side’s red-ball coach from January 2023, takes over the white-ball responsibilities after Rob Walter resigned from the role. CSA added that Conrad will be in charge till the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup, which will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. His next assignment will be the ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia, taking place from June 11-15 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
“I’m truly honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the national team across all three formats. 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,” said Conrad.
CSA further said Conrad’s appointment forms as a part of CSA’s broader restructuring of the national team strategy, which includes the reintroduction of a National Convenor of Selection. “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,” concluded Enoch Nkwe, CSA Director of National Teams and High Performance.
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