Exclusive: McKenzie Hails Conrad–Bavuma Magic as Proteas Chase Another Series Triumph in India

There seems to be magic in the coach-captain partnership of Shukri Conrad and Temba Bavuma. 

After going down in the first ODI without Bavuma, as he was down with illness, the Proteas men chased a steep target of 359 to level the series 1-1 on Wednesday under his leadership.

The touring party could be without Nandre Burger and Tony de Zorzi, both sustained hamstring injuries in the second match in Raipur, in the decider in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. 

However, they have players waiting in the fringes to do the job.

COACH-CAPTAIN DYNAMICS

The spark of the Conrad–Bavuma partnership was evident during the must-win home series against England in 2023, where their influence helped secure a 2–1 victory and, ultimately, qualification for the ICC ODI World Cup later that year. The captain tonned up in the second match to help chase 343 and seal the series.

Conrad named Bavuma the Test captain in February 2023 after the retirement of Dean Elgar. The recent 2-0 win in India has been one of their best tours post the World Test Championship triumph.

Bavuma enjoys a healthy win percentage of 54.16 with 26 wins in 48 ODIs.

Former Proteas batsman and batting coach, Neil McKenzie, agreed that Conrad and Bavuma are setting benchmarks with their combination. 

"It is important to have that synergy between the coach and the captain. You want the ship to be moving in the same direction. Conrad and Bavuma are feeding off each other. They are really enjoying playing their cricket. They have a balance of youth and experience in the squads, and they have created opportunities for the young guys in different formats. A lot of youngsters are coming to the fore," he told Sportsboom.co.za on Thursday.

McKenzie highlighted that one should gauge the team's strength by the players waiting in the pipeline. 

"You can judge a good team by the people sitting out and not making the starting XI. The coach and captain have produced a lot of depth and quality. Some world-class performers are loving their cricket under their leadership. It looks like a happy environment. Some young players are fighting for a spot, which has not happened in the last couple of years," added the veteran, who played 58 Tests, 64 ODIs, and two T20Is.

WHITE-BALL SERIES IN INDIA

The 50-year-old made his ODI debut under Hansie Cronje and played alongside legends such as Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, and AB de Villiers from 2000 to 2009. 

He reasoned that "every captain and coach brings their own flair and flavour to the environment."

"The prized possession is the green cap that you wear, representing the country, and it is coming through with the performances, and it is good to see youngsters wanting to play for that cap," he added.

South Africa will be keen to clinch the ODI series, too, before the five-match T20I contest starting December 9. McKenzie is wary of the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, especially with the former smashing two consecutive centuries. 

"Kohli and Sharma coming back make India a formidable ODI unit. If South Africa gets their plans right and if some of the guys can find form, they can compete. Who knows?"

"Whatever happens in the white-ball series, South Africa will be competitive in the series. It will be a successful tour as they will be vying for another series win. It is a great tour already with the 2-0 win in Tests; getting used to the crowd, conditions, strengthens the player pool, which will help choose players for the big ICC tournaments," said the former batter, who has 4,948 international runs under his belt.