Philander wants 'honest conversations' about why Tabraiz Shamsi did not play in Lahore

Former Proteas allrounder Vernon Philander has called for “honest conversations” after South Africa’s latest ICC Champions Trophy semi-final exit. 

Temba Bavuma’s team went down by 50 runs to New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday night - their fifth Champions League semi-final exit and ninth overall in major ICC tournament semis. 

Philander, who played in the 2015 World Cup semi-final defeat also to the Black Caps, believes the Proteas players have sufficient experience and talent to get the job done at major tournaments, but yet fall short due to insufficient planning and preparation.

"I just think Cricket South Africa will need to have an overall look at the way they approach, the way they prepare [for ICC tournaments]," Philander said on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day show.

"And that starts from the top - from your coaches, from your video analysis: 'What's going to make my players more effective?' and then you give the charge over to the captain and say 'off you go'. So yeah, I just think a lot more planning that needs to be taking place heading into these tournaments."

"I do feel it's a conversation that needs to happen at the top. I think we've got enough players playing in the IPL. They've got enough experience playing on these slower surfaces.

"So, it is a conversation, and an open conversation. At the end of the day you also need to be honest sitting around the table when those kinds of chat do transpire.

"I do feel from a talent point of view, South Africa have got plenty. But it's about making those right calls for the conditions at hand. I certainly feel we are not too far away from lifting silverware, but at the end of the day, those honest conversations will need to be had sooner or later."

The Proteas current white-ball staff contingent consists of Rob Walter (head coach), Imraan Khan (batting coach), Anton Roux (bowling coach), Wandile Gwavu (fielding coach), Runeshan Moodley (strength and conditioning coach), Matthew Reuben (performance analyst), Sizwe Hadebe (physiotherapist), Dr Konrad von Hagen (team doctor) and Kyle Botha (logistics and masseur).

Philander feels that the Proteas’ gameplans and strategies are too rigid and need to be more flexible for the contrasting conditions experienced at different venues during tournament cricket, citing the exclusion of second spinner Tabraiz Shamsi for the semi-final in Lahore as pivotal to the eventual outcome. 

"From a management point of view, for years we have stuck to our guns in terms of backing our seamers. But I think we need to go and reassess," he said.

"This is not our first tour to the subcontinent. There have been generations that have been here before. It is certainly time, from a leadership point of view, we start taking accountability, and for generations to come, what's going to be effective touring the subcontinent? And certainly in the spin department, we also have to then make sure we produce the quality and calibre of spinners to win you games in the subcontinent.

"But if you look at conditions this evening again, [Shamsi] is definitely a much more effective option on those kinds of surfaces given the fact that the seamers were really skidding on, and the batters enjoy the ball coming onto the bat.

"I think it's a conversation that needs to start at the top; the management needs to be part of it. I think we need to be challenged differently. For far too long, we persist with 'seamers are going to win you the game' irrespective of whether it's at home or in the subcontinent."