Hamza and De Zorzi in a battle for the No 3 spot

Having mixed, matched, chopped and changed, Shukri Conrad, is aware that outsiders may think he has no idea what to do about or with South Africa’s batting line-up.

It’s reached the stage where he can joke about how he will pick the next No 3. “I’m going to throw the names in the hat and see what comes out,” he chirped on Thursday.

“I’ve heard the word ruthless being bandied about now as well because it looks like we’re giving guys two or three opportunities and (then they’re) out. That’s definitely not the case,” said the Proteas head coach.

Conrad is certainly not conservative, but he’s also wary about being cavalier, and ahead of the series against Bangladesh, he explained that he will commit to stability with the batting unit for the remainder of the season.

“You want to settle a batting order. We’re going to give these guys a good run now. You don’t want to be chopping and changing after every series. I’ll be very surprised if the top seven will change between now and the end of the English tour,” said Conrad.

That will give Marques Ackerman and Matthew Breetzke, who are both trying to establish themselves in the Test side, some relief. Ackerman opened the batting for the first time in his career, against one of the all-time great attacks, and emerged from the Australian series with his reputation enhanced and his confidence overflowing.

Ackerman scored 95 and 62 in the series decider at Newlands and Conrad described his selection as wanting to get the best batter into the team, even if that meant batting out of position.

It was a similar process which led to David Bedingham being given the opportunity at No 3 — also the first time he’d batted in that key position — for the Australia series. Bedingham performed adequately, making a pair of 40s and a 50 in the first innings in Cape Town. But being dismissed playing the pull shot twice in that match has cost him his place for the Bangladesh series.

Tony de Zorzi and Zubayr Hamza will be competing for that position for the opening match at the Wanderers.

“The last thing I want to do is create what would look from the outside as if it’s a bit of a revolving door with that number three position. It definitely isn’t that,” said Conrad.

If Hamza starts, he’d be the seventh different batter to play in that spot since Conrad took over as Proteas coach in 2023. De Zorzi is one of those who has batted at No 3 in that period, and averages 20.71 from seven innings.

Conrad often bases selection less on stats, and more on character — which led him down the Bedingham path for Australia. It’s ironic that Bedingham was chosen because he is good against the short ball, but was then omitted because of his dismissals against that delivery.

Conrad expects both Bangladesh — who currently possess arguably the best set of quicks in their history — and later this summer England, to employ a short-ball strategy against the Proteas.

Breetzke, meanwhile, will continue at No 5, having shown plenty of grit in the second innings in Cape Town.

“Matt did a hell of a lot of good things. That partnership (with Ryan Rickelton) on the fourth morning was such a critical one that set it up beautifully for Ricks and Wiaan (Mulder) to do what they did. Again, the character speaks loudly to us and Bredo’s a big-hearted guy. He fits the bill in terms of the type of character that we want in the middle order,” said Conrad.

Rickelton and Mulder’s hundreds at Newlands answered one question about the middle order and the latter’s form with bat and ball gives the Proteas the chance to mix up the bowling unit, based on conditions.

South Africa will likely play with four seamers in both Tests, with Simon Harmer giving them a spin option, even though conditions at the Wanderers and SuperSport Park will favour the quicks.