In a significant development for South African cricket, Shukri Conrad, the current Test coach, has been appointed as the head coach for all formats of the men’s national team. This decision, announced by Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday, May 9, 2025, marks a new era under the leadership of the experienced 58-year-old coach.
Conrad, who took over as the Test coach in January 2023, has now expanded his role to include the ODI and T20I teams. He steps into the shoes of Rob Walter, who resigned from the white-ball head coach position last month. Conrad’s tenure in this expanded role will extend until the ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted in South Africa in 2027.
This unification of the head coach role across all formats is part of a broader restructuring of the national team strategy by CSA. This restructuring also includes the reintroduction of a National Convenor of Selection, a role that will see Conrad collaborate on team selection, moving away from the previous structure where the head coach held sole responsibility. Applications for this crucial selection role closed on April 29, and an announcement is expected soon.
Conrad expressed his honor and excitement at taking on this expanded responsibility. “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,” he stated. He further added, “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.”
Enoch Nkwe, CSA’s Director of National Teams and High Performance, lauded Conrad’s impact on the Test team, highlighting the “solid foundation and strong identity” he has instilled. Nkwe expressed confidence in Conrad’s ability to replicate this success in the white-ball formats, emphasizing his understanding of the demands of international cricket and his established relationships with the players.
Conrad’s immediate focus will be on the upcoming ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia, scheduled to be held at Lord’s in June. Following this, his first assignment as the all-format coach will be a T20I tri-series involving Zimbabwe and New Zealand in July. Looking ahead, Conrad will also be at the helm for the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, to be hosted in India, and the 50-over World Cup on home soil in 2027.
With a busy schedule of major international tournaments on the horizon, strategic planning and effective player management will be crucial. Conrad acknowledged this, stating, “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.”
Shukri Conrad’s appointment as the all-format coach signals an ambitious and unified approach for South African cricket, with the aim of achieving success in all formats on the global stage.
