Shukri Conrad defends 'really tough' calls ahead of T20 World Cup in India

Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has admitted it was difficult informing players such as Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs that they would not be travelling to the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India.

Many were surprised when Conrad announced South Africa’s squad without Stubbs and Rickelton — two talented players who have consistently been in and around the national setup across all three formats. However, the reality is that both players have endured a lean patch for an extended period, and Conrad felt he had to make the tough calls.

Tony de Zorzi and Jason Smith have effectively replaced Stubbs and Rickelton in the batting order, and the coach insists there was a clear rationale behind the move. De Zorzi has demonstrated great temperament and skill against spin on the subcontinent — albeit in the Test arena — while Smith has impressed with his consistent domestic form.

Conrad acknowledged that his decisions may not be popular with everyone, especially given that Rickelton has scored two centuries in the ongoing SA20.

“Not everybody is going to be happy. Every time someone does well, there's a section feeling that this person should be in the squad. But you can only fit 15 in the squad and 11 into the playing XI,” said Conrad. “You've got to look at different combinations. It’s really tough letting players know that they're not going to make it, and a lot of those decisions were made in India already."

“When it looked as if we weren't quite sure what we were doing, we pretty much knew what our World Cup squad was going to be. I'm not in control of everything — for example, I don't control when the squad gets announced. We had to announce it then.”

South Africa recently toured India, an experience Conrad believes will stand them in good stead for the tournament. During that bilateral series, the Proteas played their final match in Ahmedabad, the same venue where they will play three of their T20 World Cup round-robin fixtures.

“We were fortunate in that we played our last T20 game of our Indian tour at Ahmedabad, so we've got a pretty good idea of what to expect,” said Conrad. “It's a venue that the guys know well. We have a lot of intel there and we're comfortable that we will have covered all our bases by the time we arrive.”

Before heading to the World Cup, the Proteas will host the West Indies for three T20Is. The first game is scheduled for 27 January — just two days after the SA20 final — meaning Conrad will be without several key players for the series opener.

“That’s an interesting series because the first game is so soon after the final, so I’ve got to look at player workloads. Interestingly, the two teams that I felt were going to be in the final are currently at the foot of the table,” Conrad noted.

“For the first game, we'll have to see what sort of squad we can put together, but for games two and three, we will obviously play our best sides.”