Proteas Test prospects heavily dependent on building depth

It is in keeping with Shukri Conrad’s forthright nature that rather than running away from the reputation South Africa’s batters have attained recently, he wants everyone, young and old, to confront it. 

He’s done so already with those players who’ve represented the Proteas since he took over as Test head coach in February and did so again with those who are next in line — players in the South Africa A side that toured Sri Lanka.

“It’s well known our batting has a soft underbelly. Every time we’ve been put under pressure, we fold like a deck of cards,” said Conrad. “It’s been a trend of late and I don’t want players to be in denial about it. I want to put a stop to it and for now, the only way I can see that turnaround starting is for the batters to gut it out.”

Though acknowledging there remained plenty of room for improvement for the country’s next string of batters, Conrad said his outlook for the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle was optimistic. 

“I do have a good idea of how the batters stack up for that next cycle. We have all the makings of a really good unit.” 

Tristan Stubbs understandably grabbed most of the plaudits in Sri Lanka after making a century in the second four-day game and two half-centuries in the one-dayers, but there were other green shoots.

“Matt Breetzke did well, we saw some good work from (Dewald Brevis) and by the last match Keegan Petersen was also finding some rhythm.” 

Petersen’s improvement the longer the tour continued will be a fillip for him as he seeks to get back into the Test starting XI, though Tony de Zorzi got a reality check after his Test debut last summer, making a highest score of just 35 against Sri Lanka’s second stringers.

It was only an unbeaten 38 in the second four-day match, but Conrad was pleased by the mentality shown by wicketkeeper/batter Kyle Verreynne, whose omission from the West Indies series was one of Conrad’s most controversial and upset the 26-year-old. 

“I haven’t had the chance to have a lengthy discussion with him yet. I still want to, but what he showed me here, to want to come back after missing the first match because he was ill, indicated a helluva lot about Kyle’s mentality. I know he’s given me plenty to think about and did his chances of a recall (to the Test team) no harm.” 

I know he’s given me plenty to think about and did his chances of a recall (to the Test team) no harm

—  Shukri Conrad

Verreynne didn’t do much wrong in his 14 Tests since making his debut in the West Indies two years ago.

During a period when South Africa’s batting was poor, his resolve and sound technique was a class above some of his teammates.

He was the second-highest run-scorer for the Proteas behind Temba Bavuma in Australia, notching two half-centuries in that series last season. 

However, he fell victim to Conrad’s need to shake things up after his appointment and wanting to provide more aggression in the middle order, with his place going to Heinrich Klaasen. While Klaasen’s limited-overs form can’t be argued with, he didn’t nail down his Test place against the West Indies, leaving the door ajar for Verreynne.

“You could see in this (South Africa A side) how Kyle’s experience set him apart from others,” said Conrad. 

South Africa start the 23-25 WTC cycle with a highly anticipated two-match series against India that will be hosted here in summer. 

The WTC certainly factored into Conrad’s planning with the South Africa A team, which he also oversees. The selection of Senuran Muthusamy as the sole spinner for the Sri Lanka trip was deliberate because of the six WTC series the Proteas play in the next two years, only one of which — that against Bangladesh in October next year — is in the subcontinent.

Muthusamy somewhat strangely started the first Test against the West Indies last season — ahead of Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer — because Conrad valued his batting. He showed why for the South Africa A side, making useful contributions with the bat to add to the 18 wickets he took in the two four-day matches. 

Conrad sees Muthusamy’s role as that of all-rounder when the Proteas tour the subcontinent, thus lengthening the batting order, while allowing the selection of the three fast bowlers in a starting XI. 

As far as the seamers are concerned, Conrad knows he is well stocked. Still, it was useful to keep an eye on Lutho Sipamla, Lizaad Williams, give Gerald Coetzee exposure on unhelpful pitches and hand a first-class debut to a potential new star in 17-year-old left-arm fast bowler Kwena Maphaka. 

“We know what we have with our seamers, but we also want sufficient depth in that department and to have these guys playing in conditions that they won’t find back home was a real wake-up call for them,” said Conrad. 

India only get here in December, but another outing for the South Africa A side against their West Indies counterparts in November is in the offing.