CSA in 'no rush' to find replacement captain for 'retired' Smith

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has said that they are in no rush to find a replacement for former Test captain Graeme Smith, who retired from all forms of international cricket after the conclusion of the third Test against Australia.

Two candidates appear to have the strongest claims - AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis - both already captains of the national side in the shorter formats of the game.

However, with their next Test series in Sri Lanka in July, CSA chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat said that South Africa would currently focus on this month's Twenty20 World Cup and give the selectors some breathing space before the need to appoint a Test captain.

Sport24 reports Lorgat, who was involved with the appointment of Smith as captain in 2003, further said that he does not want to 'pre-empt' anything at this stage, adding that it will be up to the CSA board to approve the player put forward by the selectors.

Stating that he would support the approach, Lorgat also said that he believes the selectors will look across the entire team and choose, or recommend, whom they believe to be the best leader.

South Africa had only four regular Test captains since readmission to international cricket in 1991 - Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje, Shaun Pollock and Smith, the report added.