The decision on South Africa's next Test captain should not be a straightforward or simple one, according to Cricket SA CEO Haroon Lorgat and team manager Mohammed Moosajee. Although the position is expected to be offered to one of AB de Villiers or Faf du Plessis, Lorgat and Moosajee hope other possibilities will be considered in debates over the next two weeks.
"I would hope the selectors will not have an automatic choice. There is a
process that needs to be followed," Lorgat, speaking at the Gauteng
Cricket Board Awards on Thursday night, said. "There are several
candidates so let's hope it is a tough choice."
South Africa's selection panel have already begun talks and will meet
again before CSA's board meeting on June 3 to decide on their
recommendation for the next Test captain. The person they choose will
have to be ratified by the board before being officially announced.
Apart from de Villiers and du Plessis, JP Duminy
is has been mentioned as a possible choice, especially in light of his
recent form, bigger role in the national team and years in the game.
Duminy has been playing regularly in the Test team since March 2012 with
his only absence enforced when he tore his Achilles' tendon in November
that year in Australia. He was handed his place back as soon as he
returned to full fitness. He has established his place in the
middle-order where he plays a pivot role between the specialist batsmen
and the lower order, shepherding the tail. He has also been given a job
to do with the ball and his offspin has allowed South Africa the option
of another bowler.
As one of the more senior members of the side, Duminy is considered to
be part of the core group that will lead the rebuilding phase following
the twin retirements of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis last summer.
That Duminy plays across all three formats makes him one of the
constants in the South Africa XI. National coach Russell Domingo has
often referred to Duminy as South Africa's "best T20 player," and he is
currently the South African with the most runs in the IPL, and fifth on
the overall standings.
What may work against Duminy is that he has not captained previously but
South Africa's administrators have shown that is not insurmountable
hurdle. Smith only played eight Tests before being made national captain
at age of 22 while de Villiers had not led at any level when he
succeeded Smith as ODI and T20 skipper. What is more important,
according to Moosajee, is that the person entrusted with the job is able
to continue to apply the team culture South Africa have built over the
last few years.
"We are a diverse country with a diverse group of players and we have a
melting pot of cultures in the dressing room. We have built our team
environment around that, which has meant learning and respecting each
other's backgrounds and using that to become a strong unit," Moosajee
said. "We are fortunate that we've had inspirational leaders in the past
and now we hope to have another one. We have four or five people that
can fill the role."
Both Lorgat and Moosajee cautioned against looking for another Smith,
who led the team for nine years and played in it for over a decade.
"Graeme was one of a kind - he was tough and he wore his heart on his
sleeve," Moosajee said. For Lorgat, Smith's lengthy tenure has left
South Africa with "a lot to build on but big shoes to fill."
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent
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