Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has conceded that his team fell short in their initial Test match defeat in New Zealand.
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has acknowledged his team’s shortcomings in their first Test match loss.
COACH COMPARES PROTEAS TO BURNLEY
Conrad likened the Proteas’ situation to that of English Premier League team Burnley facing a match at Anfield. He noted, “In a T20 match, a single performance can secure a win. [In Tests], it requires five days of continuous effort and pressure. You need to be consistently excellent against a quality team like New Zealand.”
He believes the significant defeat in the first Test will act as a reality check for the team. “Some players might have felt the harsh truth of Test cricket and realized how far they actually are from being ready. Many think they are closer to being Test-ready than they actually are,” he commented. “Experiencing a few days like they have can really shake you awake.”
PRESSURE INTENSIFIES
Conrad emphasized that the unique pressure of a Test match in New Zealand cannot be replicated elsewhere.
“Pressure can do a lot to a person,” he remarked. “Players often arrive at this level thinking they need to perform miracles. In reality, simplification is key. It’s one thing to encourage players to believe in themselves, but when every action is scrutinized and your technique is dissected on TV and other platforms, that’s the stark reality of Test cricket. Players must learn to cope with this.
“Every time you participate in a Test, there’s an expectation that, even if you can’t perform all swimming strokes, you should at least be able to keep afloat for a while,” Conrad explained. “Yes, they’ve been thrust into a challenging situation. But it’s an excellent chance for the players to stand out and, as a team, to return to the domestic system and share their insights about what it takes and their experiences. In doing so, we hope to raise the standards and manage expectations whenever someone takes a five-for or scores a century at the domestic level. But indeed, it’s a do-or-die situation.”
