Rob Walter confident in Proteas’ Champions Trophy preparations
South Africa’s white-ball coach, Rob Walter, remains hopeful about the Proteas’ chances at the upcoming Champions Trophy, scheduled for February-March 2025, despite their recent 3-0 ODI series defeat at home to Pakistan.
Speaking after the series loss, Walter expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rise to the occasion during major tournaments.
“I believe our players shine in big events. We’ve seen them step up in two World Cups in a row, and I expect the same for the Champions Trophy,” Walter said.
He acknowledged the challenges ahead, particularly with the shorter preparation time for the Champions Trophy compared to the World Cup.
“The lead-up to the Champions Trophy will be very different from the World Cup. That’s just how the schedule works. But I trust our players’ quality and experience in 50-over cricket. While switching formats is always tricky, I believe we’ll be ready when the time comes,” he added.
Reflecting on the ODI series loss, Walter admitted there were key areas to improve, especially in batting.
“As a batting unit, we’ve talked about the importance of someone stepping up and scoring a big hundred. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. It’s partly down to errors and partly due to the quality of Pakistan’s bowling. We need to address and overcome this,” he said.
Walter also discussed the team’s opening pair, indicating support for Tony de Zorzi as Temba Bavuma’s partner, though Ryan Rickelton remains an option.
“Tony was batting beautifully today at the Wanderers before a tough delivery got him out. These things happen, but I want him to keep playing the way he was because he was putting us in a good position. Conversion into big scores is something the players are working on, and I trust it’ll happen soon,” he explained.
Despite setbacks, Walter is focused on the future, particularly South Africa’s upcoming Test series, which could secure their place in the World Test Championship final. He also highlighted the importance of the SA20 league in keeping players sharp, even in a different format.
“As a Proteas family, our focus now shifts to the Test matches and getting to the World Test Championship final. After that, the SA20 will provide competitive cricket for our players. When the Champions Trophy arrives, I’m optimistic we’ll come together and perform,” Walter concluded.
