PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE Proteas fielding coach Gwavu has emphasised strategic talent nurturing for ICC events to finally secure a major title after near misses. Picture: Ntombela/BackpagePix
Image: Ntombela/BackpagePix
Despite a number of close calls in recent ICC events, the Proteas are closer than ever to winning a major title, according to white-ball fielding coach Wandile Gwavu.
The Proteas made it to the semi-finals of the ICC Champions earlier this month, lost in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, and lost in the last-four of the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2023.
In fact, making the final of the T20 World Cup last year marked the first time the senior men’s side had made it that far in an ICC event outside of the Champions Trophy, which they won in 1998.
The Proteas may have their best chance to lift a major title for the first time in 27 years in the World Test Championship final in June, but for now, the yearning to achieve white-ball success has never been greater.
"We always play every game to win, but the reality is leading up to every ICC event, the one mistake you don't want to make is just to play the same team over and over, and then an injury happens, and you're looking around and you don't have all your players,” Gwavu told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.
“In terms of the mindset of how we approach the World Cups or the ICC events compared to bilateral series, the mindset is always the same.”
The future success of the side, though, depended on bringing new talent into the side.
"We want to win every series that we're playing, and whilst doing that, we're looking to find a way to plug in some young players or some new players into the Proteas team to prepare them for the ICC events when their time comes and not be caught with our pants down when the time comes and you don't really have replacements."
"But when it comes to those ICC events, as we've seen, we just managed to find that extra gear that every team is looking for, and we've managed to get ourselves into these playoffs."