If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Shukri Conrad, it’s that it’s usually a bad idea to bet against him.
When the Proteas head coach announces a squad, the “WhatsApp groups” and social media experts inevitably go into meltdown. There are always a few names left out that sting, and a few included that make you scratch your head. But if Conrad’s recent run has taught us anything, it’s that there is a very deliberate method to his madness.
Just over a year ago, people were just as sceptical when he put together a Test squad that many labelled “risky” or “inexperienced”. At the time, we were rebuilding and most of the world had written us off as outsiders. Conrad didn’t care. He backed players others had doubted, ignored the noise, and stuck to his guns when the pressure was on.
The result? South Africa holding the World Test Championship mace in 2025, easily one of the greatest moments in our sporting history.
The parallels with this T20 World Cup squad are hard to miss.
Conrad has never been one to pick players just because they have a big reputation or because the public is screaming for them. He cares about three things: role clarity, temperament, and whether a player actually fits the conditions they’re about to face.
In the Test arena, that meant picking guys with “dog” in them, players with solid domestic records and the mental toughness to grind. He’s applying that exact same logic to the T20 side.
T20 cricket is often seen as a game of flair, but Conrad knows it’s actually a game of precision. You don’t need the most talented eleven players on paper; you need the right eleven for specific match-ups. His selections suggest he’s thinking three steps ahead about tournament flow and how certain players will react when the game is on the line in the final over.
The critics will always say that experience is everything. But Conrad has already proven that experience doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t align with the team’s blueprint. In the Test side, he trusted younger, less “heralded” players because they bought into his vision, and they delivered.
Perhaps the biggest reason to trust him, though, is how the players feel about him. During that historic Test run, the squad spoke constantly about the sense of freedom and trust Conrad gave them.
He creates an environment where players feel they can express themselves without looking over their shoulder. For a South African team that has historically struggled with the mental weight of global events, that kind of internal belief is gold.
For too long, the Proteas have been reactive at World Cups, changing plans halfway through or second-guessing themselves because of outside noise. Conrad is the opposite of that. He’s proactive. He’s been planning this for months, with specific opponents and conditions in mind.
It’s worth remembering that his Test selections were called “experimental” right up until the moment they became “inspired”. The same people doubting his T20 calls were the ones doubting his red-ball vision. He didn’t find success by following the consensus; he found it through conviction.
Healthy debate is part of the game, and Conrad would be the first to welcome it. But there’s a difference between asking questions and showing a lack of faith. After decades of near-misses, South African fans are almost conditioned to expect the worst. Conrad is trying to break that cycle by backing his process, not our past.
Ultimately, trust is something you earn. And Shukri Conrad has a massive balance in the bank.
He gave us a World Test Championship because he was brave enough to think differently and trust players before the public did. He’s a man who lives — and is prepared to die — by his own sword.
As we head into another World Cup, this time in the volatile world of T20, we should remember that success rarely comes from playing it safe. Sometimes, it follows the coach who is brave enough to pick his own path.
