Director of national teams and high Performance Enoch Nkwe has stated Cricket South Africa want to appoint former Proteas limited-overs coach Rob Walter’s successor next month.
Walter resigned in early April 2025. Whether CSA give Test coach Shukri Conrad the limited-overs role or appoint a new ODI and T20I coach remains in the balance.
Conrad and Walter effectively succeeded former Proteas head coach Mark Boucher in 2023. The position was split into Test and limited-overs coach at the time.
“It is something we are pushing very fast behind the scenes. We want to secure that position as soon as possible, so we are hoping by the end of the month we will be in a stronger position to be able to come up with the plan over the next 30 months to the Cricket World Cup, in terms of that particular position,” said Nkwe.
“From our side, it is a critical position. There’s quite a few things that are hanging at the moment, but we need to make sure that while we’re focusing on the road to the Cricket World Cup, we need to secure this one as soon as possible.
“We are looking at the current structure, the impact of it, and the challenging areas. Hence, probably in the next two weeks, we will be in a stronger position to say this is the way forward and this is going to be the coach.
“Whether we stick with the two structures or we come back to a single structure, that is something that we need to decide on. We want to make sure that by the end of April, going into the first week of May, that we are in a position to commit.”
Walter is reportedly in contention to coach New Zealand. Head coach Gary Stead has resigned. England’s Brendon McCullum was Test coach before being appointed to the limited-overs role, too.
“There are more countries that are exploring it, there are talks in New Zealand of going the split route because of the demands of international cricket,” added Nkwe.
“Two years ago, we looked at the landscape and thought, ‘How do we give ourselves the best opportunity?’ As much as we talk about the workload management of players, we also have to look at the coach. Ultimately, if the coach is not given that level of energy, focus, and direction, it does impact the environment.”
Proteas batsman Reeza Hendricks, who has collected 38 ODI and 78 T20I caps but never played Test cricket during an 11-year international career, added: The past few years we’ve had two coaches, coaching white ball and red ball, which had never happened in the past.
“Shukri coming in has done well with the Test team – if he does take over, it will be one coach who will oversee all the teams. It can only be a good thing if he is the guy. I worked with him for a couple of years when he coached the SA A team.
“He has done some good things with the Test team, so hopefully he can do the same with the white-ball teams if he is the guy for the job. I’m sure the new coach will come with new plans and his players in mind.
“We have to start afresh, and I have to do my best and control what I can to put my name in the hat and hopefully the new coach, whoever that may be, will want me in his team.”
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