Proteas coach Shukri Conrad hoping to 'unlock' T20 World Cup-bound Tristan Stubbs

Rampant speculation that Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira would be ruled out of next month’s T20 World Cup due to injury was confirmed on Thursday.

De Zorzi, of course, has not played any cricket since December when he strained his hamstring in the second ODI against India, while Ferreira was seen at Joburg Super Kings net sessions this week with his arm in a sling after falling awkwardly last week at the Wanderers. 

Cricket SA have named the in-form Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs as their official replacements for both next week’s T20I series against the West Indies and the T20 World Cup.

For some, particularly former Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn who has been relentless in disputing Rickelton and Stubbs’ original exclusion, this could in fact be a blessing in disguise.

Conrad was unperturbed by this narrative gaining traction on the social media, stating ‘I am not even on Facebook’, but was instead pleased that both Rickelton and Stubbs had rediscovered some of the form that deserted them on recent national assignments that led to them being dropped initially. 

“I think the really good thing is that we've got players of the calibre of Stubbo and Ryan who step into their shoes,” Conrad said.

“Always disappointing when you lose players to an original squad. But like I mentioned, the quality of players that we've got as replacements, that's rather satisfying and gratifying to know as a coach.

“So, yeah, it was wonderful that we could select guys that were in form and playing regularly and performing the way they have. Ryan has, again, been really special in terms of what he's done. And you could see Stubbo starting to run into some sort of form.”

Rickelton, of course, was once again excellent for MI Cape Town, topping the Betway SA20 run-scoring charts after the group stages. 

Stubbs, however, is a shadow of the player that burst on to the T20I stage with a blistering 72 off only 28 balls, when he cleared the boundary eight times on a balmy Bristol night against England three-and-half years ago. 

The once freestyler has become rigid and conservative, and although he averages 43 in the Betway SA20 for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the telling statistic is his below par strike-rate of 119.44. 

It was for this very reason that Conrad had omitted Stubbs from his original T20 World Cup touring party, but now that he’s gone back to the SEC skipper, the Proteas coach has taken it upon himself to try and get Stubbs to break the shackles that’s currently holding him back.

“Stubbo and his tempo … I think it's been a conversation that has been ongoing for a while. And the reasons as to why it is what it is, I think we're still trying to work through all of that,” Conrad said.

“But the one thing that we do know is that he's got the experience and we do know that he's got the power game and the touch game and the complete package when he's firing.

“I think it's up to us to be able to unlock all of that again. And it might just be one little switch somewhere. It might just be a knock tomorrow (Friday) night that unlocks all of that.

“We do know what he possesses and we know he's a hell of a player. So we're pretty confident that come World Cup time and the sense of occasion might just spur him on to do the things that Stubbo can do.”

Conrad also confirmed that David Miller, who suffered an adductor muscle injury on Monday while playing for Paarl Royals, will play no part in the T20I series as “a precautionary measure”. 

His availability for the T20 World Cup remains subject to the outcome of a fitness test ahead of the support period with his Paarl Royals teammate Rubin Hermann being called up for the Windies T20I series. 

Conrad also stated “Lungi (Ngidi) is fine” despite the Pretoria Capitals fast bowling walking off after two overs due to heavily strapped knee and was confident the seam bowler would be ready for the T20 World Cup.

Proteas Squad - T20I Series against West Indies

Aiden Markram (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Rubin Hermann, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith and Tristan Stubbs. 

Proteas Squad - ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

Aiden Markram (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith and Tristan Stubbs.