Shukri Conrad's South Africa revolution: Proteas rise from transition to Test dominance

Shukri Conrad’s numbers put him in a league of his own among South Africa’s Test coaches since readmission.

South Africa’s resurgence in Test cricket has been one of the defining stories which began in the last World Test Championship cycle. After a difficult period in the late 2010s, the Proteas were looking for a way to get back on track, slowly reassembling a team capable of being dominant in red-ball cricket. It was during this period of transition that CSA took a punt on Shukri Conrad as coach, backing his experience playing in African cricket at a time when the team needed some direction.

Shukri Conrad's 73.91% win rate puts him ahead of South Africa's past Test coaches. (X Image/@ProteasMenCSA)

Since lifting the World Test Championship title in 2025, South Africa have shown no signs of slowing down. The Proteas remain hungry for more. Their dominance in the longest format was on full display in the second Test at Gqeberha, where they beat Australia by an innings and 31 runs despite rain severely curtailing play on the first two days. The win showed they know how to bounce back after losing the first Test. The result, achieved by brilliant bowling and a batting fightback led by skipper Temba Bavuma's century, was another sign of how far they have come. The conviction in enforcing the follow-on after dismissing Australia for 99 in their first innings stood out.

Conrad brought extensive coaching experience into the Proteas side, having been Uganda's head coach, head of South Africa's National Academy, and head coach of the men's U19 side. He guided the team at the 2022 ICC U19 Men's T20 World Cup and won the CSA Provincial T20 Cup with them. He lacked much international experience, but the move showed confidence in a coach familiar with South African cricket and who understood the country's talent pipeline. The senior side was working to get back on track and Conrad joined forces with Bavuma on that journey, which began with a home Test series against West Indies.

When nobody gave them much chance in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, they made sure the cricketing world saw they were ready to deliver. The Proteas team shook off the 'chokers' tag with the Lord's final victory over Australia in the WTC final.

South Africa’s dominance in the tournament was reflected in their record of nine wins in 13 matches, with three defeats and one draw. They were strong at home, winning five of six Tests, while their three victories in six away matches showed their ability to deliver on the road. Their only neutral-venue Test also ended in a win, underlining the consistency that helped them become WTC champions.

After the World Test Championship win, Conrad's big job was against India in the spin-friendly conditions, and what his side did was sensational. The 'we wanted them to really grovel' comment he made during the Guwahati Test got some flak in India, but South Africa completing a 2-0 whitewash in November 2025, their first series win in India in 25 years, left the hosts searching for answers. Australia, led by Pat Cummins, are also facing serious questions about their shaky batting order. Although they won the first Test at Durban, only Matt Renshaw crossed fifty. In Gqeberha, only Travis Head (121) crossed the 50-mark. It has left a question mark in particular on the Test future of Marnus Labuschagne, and even the great Steven Smith. Labuschagne has not scored a hundred in his last 43 completed innings.

Conrad’s numbers put him in a league of his own among South Africa’s Test coaches since readmission. With 17 wins in 23 Tests and a win percentage of 73.91%, he sits comfortably ahead of Ottis Gibson (64.70%) and Gary Kirsten (63.15%), underlining his effect in a relatively short span.

South Africa Test Coaches' Record Since Readmission:

Coach	Played	Wins	Lost	Drawn	Win %
Shukri Conrad	23	17	5	1	73.91%
Ottis Gibson	17	11	6	0	64.70%
Gary Kirsten	19	12	2	5	63.15%
Eric Simons	24	14	5	5	58.33%
Mark Boucher	20	11	9	0	55.00%
John Arthur	45	22	16	7	48.88%
Graham Ford	33	16	8	9	48.48%
Ray Woolmer	44	21	9	14	47.72%
Russell Domingo	38	16	12	10	42.10%
Corrie van Zyl	10	4	2	4	40.00%

The transition under Conrad has been smooth, with the coach giving several young players a chance to make their mark, even if most did not get an extended run. Since his arrival, 20 players have made their Test debuts for South Africa. Many of those opportunities came during the two-Test tour of New Zealand in February 2024. Cricket South Africa prioritised the SA20, which clashed with the series, and sent an inexperienced squad to New Zealand.

Conrad has since helped establish Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham and Tristan Stubbs as regulars in the Test side. All three have made valuable contributions with the bat, scoring hundreds and showing the potential to become long-term fixtures. He has also added to South Africa's fast-bowling depth, with Corbin Bosch and Nandre Burger emerging as options, while Marco Jansen's development into a genuine all-rounder has been an additional significant gain during his tenure.

Player	Test debut	Tests	Runs	Highest score	Average	100s	50s
Tony de Zorzi	Feb 28, 2023	17	919	177	30.63	2	3
David Bedingham	Dec 26, 2023	16	828	110	36	1	4
Tristan Stubbs	Jan 3, 2024	15	759	122	31.62	2	3

Conrad’s success has not been limited to the time Bavuma has led the side. He has also backed other players to take charge in red-ball cricket. Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder all captained South Africa during Bavuma's absence. Each of them led the side to a Test win, showing the depth of leadership options Conrad has drawn on. Neil Brand is another player who led the Proteas Test side during his tenure and suffered losses in both matches. However, it was the series in which CSA sent a young team to New Zealand.

Captain	Tests captained	Won	Lost	Drawn
Aiden Markram	4	3	1	0
Keshav Maharaj	1	1	0	0
Wiaan Mulder	1	1	0	0
Total	6	5	1	0

For Conrad, the challenge now is to ensure South Africa’s resurgence grows into a sustained era of dominance in Test cricket.