South Africa's head coach, Shukri Conrad, has labelled his team's recent tour of India as a highly successful venture, despite falling short in the white-ball series. Conrad expressed a strong desire for the two cricketing giants to meet again in the ultimate clash of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
A Tour of Contrasts and Learning
The Proteas' campaign in India was a tale of two halves. They began on a spectacular note, securing a historic 2-0 victory in the Test series, marking their first Test series win on Indian soil in 25 years. However, the momentum shifted in the limited-overs leg. India fought back to claim the ODI series 2-1 before dominating the T20I series 3-1, sealing the final match on Friday by 30 runs and extending their unbeaten home series run to 18.
Conrad, addressing the media after the fifth T20I, reflected on the overall experience. "It's been a wonderful tour," he stated. "We started off brilliantly with a Test series and then to take it to a decider in the one-dayers... This last bit has been wonderful for us in terms of conditions that we're going to experience in a few months' time when we come here for the World Cup." He emphasized that touring India is an incredible learning curve for any team.
Praise for a 'Helluva' Indian Side and Pandya's Impact
When asked if this was the best Indian team he has encountered, Conrad did not hold back. "(India are a) helluva side. You need to be on top of your game all the time," he remarked, highlighting their aggressive batting from the first ball and multiple match-winners with the ball. He conclusively added, "I can’t think of a better side to be brutally honest so they must rank right up there."
The coach pinpointed all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the decisive factor in the T20I series. Conrad praised Pandya's match-winning knock in the final game, a blistering 16-ball fifty—the second-fastest by an Indian in T20Is—and his consistent performances. "Taking nothing away from (Jasprit) Bumrah, I think Hardik has been the difference in the two teams," Conrad asserted, suggesting Pandya was the rightful Player of the Series.
Road to the T20 World Cup 2025
With the T20 World Cup 2025 scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, Conrad views this tour as vital preparation. He hopes the recent clashes were a preview of the next final, referencing India's victory over South Africa in the thrilling 2024 final. "I'd like to think this might be the World Cup’s finalists in the next World Cup as well. I really hope so," he said.
Conrad outlined the path ahead for his team, which includes a month of SA20 league cricket to hone skills before a series against the West Indies. "They (India) are the world champions in this format for a reason. We've got to make sure that we come back in a few months' time and try and topple them," he concluded, setting the stage for an anticipated rematch on the world's biggest stage.
