Conrad emphasises national priority, but Rabada fallout dominates discussion

Conrad emphasizes national priority, but Rabada fallout dominates discussion

Conrad confirmed he would add the white-ball teams to the Test portfolio he has held since January 2023 and become South Africa's all-format coach. The demands made on the players by T20 franchise leagues have led to South Africa selecting weakened teams for bilateral series, a tendency Conrad plans to stamp out.

The IPL was scheduled to end on May 25, but the final has been moved to June 3. CSA expected the South Africa players in the IPL to be released on May 26, and they still do. Understandably so, considering the WTC final against Australia on June 11 and a practice match against Zimbabwe before that.

"One thing we've made clear, and we are finalising this with the IPL and the BCCI, is sticking to our original plan when it comes to the WTC preparations," Enoch Nkwe, CSA's director of national teams and high performance, said. "May 26 is the latest for the Test guys to come back. The original plans don't change because the No. 1 priority is the WTC final. We've been engaging with them over the last day or two to make sure we're all on the same page."

The relevant players are Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs, who are in the squad for the WTC final announced on Tuesday as well as contracted to IPL franchises. Mulder is off the hook as he is with SRH, who have been eliminated from the knockout rounds and will play their last league fixture on May 25.

"Nothing has changed from our perspective," Conrad said about the May 26 deadline. "That is the ongoing conversation that is being had between people at a higher play grade than I am. As it stands we're not budging on that, I don't think. We want our players back on the 26th and hopefully that comes to fruition."

Conrad's squad of 15 is devoid of controversy, with the mild exception of the inclusion of Ngidi at the expense of Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee and Nandre Burger – big, booming fast bowlers of the kind who have done much to make South Africa a force in the global game. Ngidi has skills others have not mastered, but he is not as quick as Nortje, Coetzee or Burger.

"I genuinely believe someone like Lungi can be a massive asset for us there," Conrad said. "He's looking in great shape. He's been training really well, and he brings experience to our line-up. Whether he bowls up the slope or down the [Lord's] slope, his height and the bounce that he's able to extract can be a factor."

Ngidi's most recent first-class match was a Test against West Indies in Trinidad in August last year, but he is over the groin injury that took him out of the home series against Pakistan in December and January. Conrad seemed less confident Nortje had recovered completely from the toe he broke facing David Miller in the nets, and that Coetzee was back from his own groin issue. Nortje and Coetzee suffered their injuries in December.

"We all enjoy sheer pace," Conrad said. "Unfortunately, with 'Annas' [Nortje], it didn't pan out the way we had hoped. I don't think he's in any position, really, to be playing a Test. Gerald is also making his way back."

For Bavuma, the likely conditions were the determining factor in Ngidi's selection: "If we were playing in Australia or South Africa, then the conversation would be about extra pace. But in England, control and skill become a lot more important.

"From the time Shukri came in, we wanted to bring back the pace factor; we wanted teams to fear us again. That's mainly when we play in South Africa. Outside of South Africa we always adapt our plans accordingly."