Why is Shukri Conrad’s ‘grovel’ remark so controversial? Here is the real connotation behind the term made famous by Tony Greig

Shukri Conrad’s ‘grovel’ remark was used by England captain Tony Greig in 1976 before the series against West Indies.

Shukri Conrad, the inspiring head coach of South Africa, is embroiled in a major controversy following his comment on day four of the recently finished second test against India in Guwahati that he was “making the Indian team grovel.”  

Since taking over as the test team’s head coach in January 2023, Conrad has done miracles. He led them to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 win earlier this year, and won their first series in India since 2000.

Although he is known to voice his opinions, he doesn’t believe in theatrics or grandstanding. He is articulate and well-spoken, and he is everything but contemptuous of the opposition.

Conrad’s use of the phrase “to steal a phrase” just after the word “grovel” in his explanation of South Africa’s justification for delaying declaration until 40 minutes into the last session on day four of the second test against India in Guwahati on Tuesday shows that he is well aware of the history.

“What we felt is that when the shadows come across the wicket in the evening, there’s something in it for the quick bowlers, so we didn’t want to declare too early and not be able to use that.

And then, obviously, we wanted the Indians 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 ‘Come and survive on the last day and an hour this evening,” Conrad said in press conference post day four.

Time when England captain Tony Grieg’s ‘grovel’ comment led to West Indies demolishing them

In 1976, the term “grovel” took on the most derogatory connotations in the context of cricket. As the favorites to defeat the home team, the West Indies traveled to England for a test series. The English media’s promotion of the visitors infuriated England’s captain, Tony Greig.

In an interview with the BBC ahead of the first Test, Greig said, “I’m not really sure they’re as good as everyone thinks. These guys, if they get on top, they are magnificent cricketers. But if they’re down, they grovel, and I intend, with the help of Closey (Brian Close) and a few others, to make them grovel.”

The Merriam-Webster dictionary explains it as ‘to lie or creep with the body prostrate in token of subservience or abasement’. Clive Lloyd was enraged by Greig’s choice of that particular word.

“The word ‘grovel’ is one guaranteed to raise the blood pressure of any black man. The fact they were used by a white South African made it even worse. We were angry, and West Indians everywhere were angry. We resolved to show him and everyone else that the days for grovelling were over,” Lloyd said in the ‘Fire in Babylon’ documentary.

The West Indians won the five-test series 3-0 after using the snub as a huge source of motivation; nine months later, Greig lost his England captaincy after switching allegiance to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket.

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