Emboldened by the Proteas’ first appearance in a World Cup final, Cricket SA wants to widen the pool of players from which it will select the squad to fulfil its primary goal of winning the 2027 World Cup.
“We have a pool of 48 right now, we want to actually get it closer to 60,” said CSA’s director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe.
That was always Nkwe’s plan, but having seen the progress of the Proteas at the last two ICC events — a semifinal finish at the ODI World Cup last year and a runners-up spot in the T20 World Cup last week — he now hopes to get the backing of senior administrators for his and the Proteas management’s strategy for that competition.
“By 2027 we want to make sure we have a massive pool. This T20 World Cup has helped us, particularly in terms of the element of belief that we can actually (win it).”
The stakes are high for the players, and also for Nkwe, head coach Rob Walter and CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki, too. The trio are all tied to contracts which run to 2027, and the World Cup, which will be hosted in SA that year, is where the fruits of their labour — from the boardroom to the training field — must be seen.
The last 18 months suggest they are on the right path.
“It’s come a bit earlier than we anticipated, so for the next two years we must keep reminding the guys to believe. Hopefully, we can win next year’s Champions Trophy or the T20 World Cup in 2026, because it would be great going into 2027 with some confidence of having won something,” said Nkwe.
He and Walter said the Proteas selection in the next few years would continue to be based on providing opportunities for players during bilateral series. The pair have been comfortable with “sacrificing” success in series to assess players they believe are suited to the increased pressures of ICC tournaments.
Since Walter took over in February last year, the Proteas have lost home series in the ODI and T20 formats to West Indies, India and Australia, but have used those matches to expose players to the international arena.
Walter knows what his “marquee players” can do. Citing Kagiso Rabada as one example, he said it was essential that he remained fresh, and by resting him from certain series it would allow younger players like Kwena Maphaka and Nandre Burger to get a taste of international cricket. “If [Rabada] took all the [playing] opportunities that came his way he’d play for 50 weeks out of 52. That’s not feasible,” he said.
“We have to know where he can and can’t take breaks. We have to sacrifice some international cricket to make sure [he can play in 2027]. But on the flipside of that sacrifice is the opportunity. As talented as the next in line are, the top sides internationally, their next best is also strong. We’ve lost series against Australia, West Indies and India, with those who are our next crop. That doesn’t mean those players are less able.”
That aligns with one of the vital lessons learnt from the painful exit at the 2022 World Cup — improved player management. “The workload leading up to the last two World Cups was managed better,” said Nkwe.
You can try to improve things all the time, pick out little parts of the game you need to get better at, but actually the strength lies with your strength and getting more consistent with that strength.
— Rob Walter
In addition, while provincial coaches and players have understood the Proteas’ more aggressive playing philosophy, implementing it under the scrutiny created at international level will accelerate the players’ development.
“There is nothing that comes close to it. There is space in the T20 series against Ireland and the West Indies in the next few months to give some new faces an opportunity. There will be a lot of opportunities in the next 12 months,” said Nkwe.
While the step from being finalists to winners seems like a big one, Walter doesn’t feel it will take a lot for SA to overcome the final hurdle. “We can always be better at our skills. [Jasprit] Bumrah has set a standard, for us it’s not only to meet the standard, but move beyond.
“It’s a double-edged sword. You can try to improve things all the time, pick out little parts of the game you need to get better at, but actually the strength lies with your strength and getting more consistent with that strength.”
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