South Africa ‘chokers’ tag should not be labeled on current team, says coach Shukri Conrad ahead of big day.
South Africa ‘chokers’ tag will be unfair on this current squad of players, says Conrad.
The last thing you want is to be reminded of all the times you’ve failed when you’re on a team that has a history of failing at the last hurdle and the obstacle is directly in front of you, like it was on the third evening of South Africa’s Boxing Day Test match against Pakistan. What then did Shukri Conrad, the coach of South Africa, do?
He reminded them.
“I thought it was the opportune time to lay down that challenge. Maybe because we had another chance. If it didn’t go our way, we had another chance in Cape Town,” Conrad said at Lord’s, two days before the World Test Championship [WTC] final. “It didn’t go down kindly, but at some stage that conversation needs to be had. It’s all about choosing when to have that.”
“in our country, the minority are walking for pleasure but the majority are still walking to get to work,” and there are far more real pressures than the result of a cricket match.
Will South Africa no longer be referred to by their least favourite c-word after winning under the kind of pressure they experienced at SuperSport Park? Of course not. That can only be accomplished by winning an ICC trophy, and most likely not this one. Winning an ODI World Cup might be necessary. However, in case it peeks at them again this week, they have begun to address the decades-old elephant in the room.
“We touched on it (the Boxing Day Test) briefly the other day,” Conrad said. “What were the learnings from that? And what’s the response we can expect, and we’re looking for?”
Importantly, Jansen, who had the yips in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final, was one of the two players who helped them overcome Pakistan and appears to have outgrown his anxieties. Jansen acknowledged during that World Cup that he was so nervous before important matches that his father had to give him calming Bible passages. Even while he can now hold his own, Conrad was cautious to warn everyone that Jansen is just 25 and may still be overwhelmed.
“It’s difficult not to get the place out of your system. Let’s embrace it and whatever comes with it,” Conrad said. “We can’t wish it away. These were some of the conversations that we’ve had, taking it in and making sure you settle yourself down. There are going to be nerves and the excitement levels are starting to ramp up. It’s a great occasion, and I’d rather be part of it than not.”
“The more finals you play in, you obviously improve your chances of winning. It doesn’t weigh heavy on us. It’s unfair to burden this group with anything that’s gone before. We know we want to and we need to win another ICC event, (after the 1998 Champions Trophy) but whatever tags come along, we don’t wear that.”