Proteas coach Conrad confident Stubbs can find his mojo at the World Cup

Proteas coach Shukri Conrad said he needed to help Tristan Stubbs solve the problems he’s had with his scoring rate, if the previously dynamic right-hander is going to make the impact he hopes at the T20 World Cup next month.

Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton were added to the South African squad on Thursday after Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira were ruled out because of injury.

De Zorzi’s rehabilitation from a right hamstring tear - which he picked up in India - did not progress as anticipated, while Ferreira suffered a fractured left clavicle while fielding in the Joburg Super Kings’ penultimate round-robin fixture in the SA20.

“It’s always disappointing to lose players from the original squad because of injuries, but it is gratifying as a coach to know the quality of the replacements we’ve been able to call on,” said Conrad.

Stubbs had a difficult 2025, struggling to find rhythm when he batted regardless of the format he was playing. He wasn’t helped by the fact that he has batted in different spots in the order, something that may be resolved at the World Cup, where, like Ferreira was going to do, he will bat as a “finisher”.

“His tempo has been an ongoing conversation,” Conrad admitted. “We are still trying to work through why it is what it is.” Stubbs’ strike rate in seven ODIs last year was - for him - a lowly 77; he opened the batting in one match, but batted at 4 and 5 in the rest.

In seven T20Is his strike rate in 2025 was 121.6, well short of his overall T20I strike rate of 132.15, while in all T20s, his strike rate is 142.95

“He’s got the experience and we know he has the power game, the touch game - he’s the complete package when he is firing. It is up to us to unlock all of that again,” said Conrad.

“We know he is a hell of a player. We are pretty confident that come the World Cup, the sense of occasion might spur him on to do the things that Stubbo can do.”

Besides his big hitting, the other element of Ferreira’s game the Proteas wanted to use was his part-time off-spin. It’s a part of his game that was improving throughout the SA20, and Conrad believes Stubbs can fulfil the role of providing occasional spin bowling in India.

“He’s always hinting that he should be doing a bit of bowling. It was great to see him take the ball (against MI Cape Town) to finish an over - I don’t know if that only happens when he is captain. We’ll see how it goes.”

Rickelton’s call-up ends what was arguably the most controversial omission when the squad was initially named on January 2. Despite by his own admission having had an indifferent 2025 in the limited overs formats - because of a cluttered mind - his output in the SA20 and the experience of a full season in the IPL could prove beneficial to the Proteas.

Rickelton won’t open the batting however. “Aiden (Markram) and Quinny (de Kock) will open for SA, so Ricks may have to perform a different role,” said Conrad.

South Africa will face West Indies in a three-match T20 series next week.

David Miller won’t play in those matches as he continues rehabilitation from a groin injury picked up while playing for the Paarl Royals in the SA20 last Monday. Conrad said there were positive signs for Miller based on the results of a scan he underwent on Thursday morning.

He will be assessed again next week before the second T20 against the West Indies.

The squad will depart for India on February 1 and begin their World Cup campaign eight days later against Canada in Ahmedabad.

The Proteas will also face New Zealand, the UAE and Afghanistan in their remaining Group D fixtures.

Rubin Hermann will be part of the squad for the West Indies series, and should Miller not recover, he will take his place for the World Cup.

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