After losing ODIs, South Africa coach Shukri Conrad accepts mistake for saying ‘want to make India grovel’

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad reflected on his choice of words after the Test victory over India.

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad on Saturday acknowledged that his use of the word “grovel” during the Guwahati Test had overshadowed his team’s landmark red-ball triumph over India, conceding that he would have chosen his words differently had he been more mindful of how the remark might be interpreted.

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad

Speaking after India sealed the ODI series 2-1—having earlier lost the Test series 0-2—Conrad said the term, which carries historical and racial undertones in South Africa, had “taken the sheen” off what should have been a moment of celebration for his Test side.

“On reflection, it was never my intention to cause any malice or be anything other than humble,” Conrad said. “Could I have been smarter with the word I used? Absolutely. It left space for people to attach their own context, when all I meant was that India should have to work really hard.”

The coach admitted that the controversy redirected attention from the players’ achievement and placed him at the centre of a narrative he never wanted to dominate. “Being humble is a cornerstone of our Test team and all our teams, really. People shouldn’t even know who the coach is—it should always be about the players. Unfortunately, the noise became about me.”

Conrad added that he would exercise far more caution with language in the future, aware now of how swiftly context can shift in the public domain. “I’m going to be careful with what I say because any word can be pulled into a different frame. It’s a pity it spiralled the way it did, but there was definitely no malice intended.”

Reflecting on the ODI series loss, Conrad admitted South Africa had missed a rare opportunity to defeat India in both formats on home soil—something last achieved in the 1990s. He praised India’s senior batters, particularly Virat Kohli, who was Player of the Series, and captain Rohit Sharma, saying their performances highlighted valuable lessons for South Africa’s young batting group.

“Our youngsters got to see firsthand what the best in the world look like,” Conrad said. “Virat and Rohit showed the standards required, and that’s an experience we have to take forward.”

He accepted that South Africa fell short with the bat in the deciding ODI and failed to put India under pressure despite a promising start with the ball. “We needed a far more competitive total. When you’re slightly off against a team like India, they make you pay.”