New South African Test Captain announced today.

Big day in our cricketing history, our new test captain is being announced today - smart money is on one of Amla, duPlessis, or ABdV. I'd personally like to see Faf get the nod, as he's the better leader of the three - but I think they'll go with Divvy or Amla. They are probably the faces of S.A. cricket, so it will please fans, while an Amla pick would please the government as well (plus he captained the Dolphins to a FC title at 21). Thoughts?

Hi Raf - there's a take on this and Amla from myself and Shelsey last night on the 'Surrey news and articles' domestic cricket thread.

Just saw it mate. I like Amla, and he's probably got the brain and nous to succeed as the skipper, but I'd infinitely prefer Faf.

On a completely unrelated note, Graeme Smith has blasted Ian Chappells views on leadership as archaic!

Chappell said he couldn't see Cook or Dhoni beating Clarke, obviously barring those times last year when Cook and Dhoni led there teams to wins over Clarke

Hashim Amla it is. Hashim is an interesting choice for sure. But I am not sure I like the split captaincy system as is used by South Africa. Can lead to too much of confusion as all the 3 men play all formats.......

amla is a good choice for test captaincy ......I had proposed his name some time back....steady and stable temperament....perfect for tests.

ABDV is too frivolous.
I believe though they need just one captain for limited overs and must make up their mind between Faf or abdv

Faf not clearly establishing himself in ODIs might be keeping them thinking, KPF.

Can't see Faf getting into the ODI XI as long as Kallis is there.

Amla, De Kock, Kallis, ABDV, Duminy, Miller. Where's the room for Faf? Duminy is a world class limited overs batter unlike in Tests. Miller hasn't been as consistent for SA as he is in the IPL but his ODI record is still better than Faf's and is their best bet for the finisher's role at 6. The only way I see Faf getting in is if he bats at 3 and Kallis moves down to 7 replacing Mclaren as the seam bowling allrounder (which is what I think JHK is in limited overs cricket these days). Kallis, in his current form, at 3, just stalls the momentum but I don't see them making that move.

If anything, I'm surprised they didn't go for Faf in tests. I know he has played only 14 tests but he has firmly established himself in that format unlike ODIs and is now by far the 3rd best batsman in their test side and is in no danger of being dropped in the forseeable future and he has greater captaincy credentials than either Amla or ABDV. I think he would've been a good bet in tests although Amla is not a bad choice if he has genuinely agreed to take up the role and hasn't been coerced into it for want of options. They can ill afford to lose Amla the batsman at this stage so I hope he has thoughtfully consented to this.

Agree with KPF on ABDV. And "frivolous" aptly describes his captaincy. He would've been a bad choice in tests. In fact, I don't think he should be the ODI captain either. Why not try maybe Duminy in ODIs or of course Faf if he is allowed to bat at 3?

Shanky, if the side has Kallis and Duminy in the top 6, they can certainly accommodate an additional batter. Kallis at 3, AB at 4, Faf at 5 and JP at 6. Miller could be the finisher at 7, and with his inconsistencies, he's more suited to a role at 7 rather than at 6.
Steyn, Morkel, Parnell and the spinner to make up the rest of the lineup.

Faf is a top order batter in LOIs. Don't think he is suited to 5 and his record testifies that. And I honestly fail to see what Kallis offers at 3 in ODIs in his current form. He should play as a seam bowling allrounder.

Kallis has a massive reputation, and I doubt whether SA will have him down the order in a bowling heavy role. Faf used to bat lower down the order earlier, I am sure he can make the switch.

And wasn't too successful in it.

It was expected for me, SA selectors didn't like the way De'Villiers come open before any formal announcement that he is ready for the test captaincy if offered, in few days we heard from the administration side that "nobody gets the hot seat straight off", finally I also felt Haroon Rashid played a part in pushing Amla over ABD, all politics in my view.

Outside politics, its also ABD stupid call in saying he will have to give up gloves if selected as captain, I am pretty sure SA selectors didn't entertain that and wanted ABD to keep and hence leave the mandate of captaincy to Amla.

DirectView wrote:It was expected for me, SA selectors didn't like the way De'Villiers come open before any formal announcement that he is ready for the test captaincy if offered, in few days we heard from the administration side that "nobody gets the hot seat straight off", finally I also felt Haroon Rashid played a part in pushing Amla over ABD, all politics in my view.

Outside politics, its also ABD stupid call in saying he will have to give up gloves if selected as captain, I am pretty sure SA selectors didn't entertain that and wanted ABD to keep and hence leave the mandate of captaincy to Amla.

all that lose talking confirms he is not captaincy material

AB is a great batsman, but his captain hasn't really been on the mark. Between him and Hashim, I'd always go for Amla. AB seems to get too confused as captain.......