CSA Appoints Shukri Conrad As Proteas Head Coach For All Formats
Cricket South Africa has appointed Shukri Conrad as the head coach for all formats, succeeding Rob Walter. Conrad, who has a strong track record with the Test team, expressed his pride in leading the Proteas across formats. His tenure begins with a T20I tri-series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand, aiming to enhance South Africa's competitiveness until the 2027 World Cup.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday announced Shukri Conrad as the head coach of the national team across all formats, as per the ICC official website.
Conrad is set to replace former Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter, following the latter's resignation from the white-ball head coach role last month.
Conrad expressed his pride and excitement at taking on the expanded role.
"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," the 58-year-old said as quoted by the ICC.
"South African cricket has incredible white-ball talent, from the calibre of our senior players to the emerging group of juniors eager to make their mark. There's a strong foundation to build on, and I believe we have what it takes to achieve something special," he added.
The Proteas prepare for a crucial World Test Championship final against Australia, starting June 11 at Lord's, after which Conrad's tenure as the all-format head coach begins with a T20I tri-series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand in July.
The appointment, which runs through to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 - set to be hosted on home soil - comes in as South Africa aim to strengthen the national team's competitiveness across formats.
Enoch Nkwe, CSA Director of National Teams and High Performance, praised Conrad's impact on South Africa's Test setup thus.
"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 that same level of clarity, structure, and purpose to the white-ball formats," said Nkwe.
"Having worked within the national setup for the past two years, he understands the demands of international cricket and has fostered valuable relationships with the players. We have every confidence he is the right person to guide the team forward and maintain our upward trajectory," Nkwe added.
ANI