Conrad reveals why Bavuma took over as Test captain in place of Elgar: “Temba and I are a good fit”

Temba Bavuma has taken over for Dean Elgar as the Test captain, according to Shukri Conrad, South Africa’s new Test coach.

Conrad, who was hired last month and will begin in his new post with the two-Test series against the West Indies at home, which begins on February 28, said he chose Bavuma because of their close bond more than because Elgar had performed poorly in the position.

“This was my decision. I felt Temba and I were a good fit, and Dean’s still going to play a huge part in our leadership group,”

Conrad made this statement during a news conference that followed the selection of the team to play the West Indies.

“Dean’s done an exceptional job over the last couple of years, and in my conversation with him, that’s something I made clear. This doesn’t make Dean a poor captain and Temba a good captain. But I felt this was the right fit for me and for us going forward.”

Conrad was the Lions coach when Bavuma would have been in school in Johannesburg and was discovered at the national academy, despite the fact that he has never coached a local team that Bavuma was a member of. 

When Bavuma led South Africa to a series victory over England last month, Conrad served as the interim white-ball coach and made a century to earn a SA20 contract.

“We’ve come a long way, Temba and I. He knows how I want to do things, and I’ve got a good understanding of how he wants to be involved and run things,”

Conrad said.

“Our couple of days in Bloemfontein and Kimberley have gone a long way in consolidating the fact that Temba was going to be the captain. Hopefully his performances will keep shining. He’s been a star performer for the Test side. I think captaincy sits well with him.”

Aiden Markram, who Conrad stated will open the batting against West Indies after being benched for the Australia series, and Elgar would be reunited. Elgar was still available for national selection.

Sarel Erwee was passed over in favour of Markram, who has a Test average of 24.60 over his last 23 games. Conrad also said Markram would have a long career in the Test team.

“People are always going to be behind Aiden Markram or they are going to say he flatters to deceive. I’m in the former group. Aiden’s going to open the batting,”

Conrad said.

“He’s a wonderful cricketer and a stroke-player. Aiden and I go back a long way, so I know his character. We’ve got to match characters to that to our selections and the type of cricket we want to play. I say emphatically that he will open the batting with Dean.”

Given that he had scored the most runs in first-class cricket this season, Tony de Zorzi would have to wait his turn. Even so, South Africa will start with a very different batting order than they did before. 

Conrad declared that he would choose seven batsmen and four bowlers as opposed to South Africa’s six-five combination, which frequently made them appear to be short on batters. 

Second, despite the fact that Kyle Verreynne finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the Australia series, Rassie van der Dussen and Verreynne have both been benched. 

Conrad made it clear that he thought Verreynne was not now deserving and that the current wicketkeeper, Heinrich Klaasen, was.

“Kyle’s omission was tough but ultimately I get paid to make certain calls and subjectivity plays a part. This was my conversation with Kyle. He’s done everything that can be expected. But I think Klaasie has done more and deserves a full crack,”

Conrad said. 

“Klaasie is, in my opinion, not just a batter that we can stick in the field. He’s been battling with an elbow because he’s been forced to be in the field a lot of the time. I’ve always viewed him as a wicketkeeper-batter, so for me it was a straight shootout as to who I wanted. And that’s Klaasie. That’s unfortunate for someone like Kyle. The door is certainly not closed to him.”

Similar painful decisions were made in the bowling division, when Gerald Coetzee replaced Lungi Ngidi. Conrad declared that Coetzee was probably going to make his debut and that South Africa would play the first Test at SuperSport Park with all-pace.

“It’s quite simple for me. I think Gerald Coetzee needs a good run. We all know the promise that Gerald holds, and now’s as good a time as ever to unleash him,” Conrad said. 

“Without giving too much away, I’d like to think that I’d be in a position to play all our quick bowlers in Centurion. Depending on what the Wanderers throw up, that XI might change. It’s purely Gerald ahead of Lungi right now.”

Senuran Muthusamy, who played two Tests on the India trip in 2019, Keshav Maharaj, and Simon Harmer are the three spinners South Africa has included in the squad. Conrad clarified that Muthusamy had been chosen as an all-around player in particular.

“I want to increase our allrounder stocks. All Rounders don’t only have to be seam bowlers, they can also be guys who bowl spin,”

“In Wiaan (Mulder) and Sen we get that balance. If I want to play four quicks because I think the pitch is going to be a certain way, it gives me the option to play Sen. We need to be quite fluid.”

“I’ve always believed the coach should have more of a say in selection and a better understanding of what is required, as long as it’s in line with CSA’s bigger strategy,”

Enoch Nkwe, CSA’s director of cricket, said.

“It is going to be an interim phase, something we want to trial. But I believe the two coaches are the best-positioned people to talk about selection. I have a lot of trust in our two coaches that we are going in the right direction. Shukri and Rob are going to be leading the selection structure with the respective captains.”