IND vs SA 2025: South Africa Head Coach Shukri Conrad Finally Breaks Silence on “Grovel” Controversy After ODI Defeat to India
Shukri Conrad clarifies his “grovel” comment on India, saying he meant no disrespect and chose the wrong word.
South Africa Test coach Shukri Conrad has tried to calm the noise around his “grovel” comment, which became a talking point during his team’s 2–0 Test series win over India.
Conrad had said that South Africa wanted India to stay in the field for long hours. He used the word “grovel” while explaining how they hoped to bat India out of the match and then challenge them to survive late on the final day.
His exact words were, “We wanted India to spend as much time on their feet out in the field. We wanted them to really grovel, to steal a phrase, bat them completely out the game and then say to them well come and survive on the last day and an hour this evening.”
The comment drew sharp reactions because the word has a heavy past in cricket. In 1976, England’s Tony Greig said he wanted to make the West Indies “grovel”. That remark hurt many West Indians, as the word can carry racial undertones and a sense of disrespect. Since then, it has become a sensitive term in cricket circles.
After South Africa went down in the ODI series in India, Conrad clarified his intent. He said he never meant it in a harmful way and admitted that his choice of word was poor.
“On reflection, it was never my intention to cause some malice. I could have chosen a better word. My only thinking was about India spending more time on the field. One has to be careful about choosing the word. But there was no malice intended. Being humble is the cornerstone of the South African Test team,” he said.
Conrad added that his focus was only on strategy and fitness, not on disrespecting the Indian team. He said humility is central to how his Test side wants to play.
The controversy around the remark grew mainly because of the shadow of the Tony Greig episode. That history has made “grovel” a word many associate with past racial tensions in the sport. Conrad’s clarification aims to put the matter to rest as South Africa turn their attention to upcoming matches.
