Hashim Amla was named the new Proteas Test captain and AB de Villiers will be his vice captain. De Villiers remains captain of the Proteas ODI squad while Amla will be his vice captain.
Amla will begin his tenure with the Proteas tour of Sri Lanka in the beginning of July.
In accepting the captaincy, Amla said, “It is an honour and a privilege to be given this responsibility. I would like to pay tribute to the leadership Graeme Smith has provided throughout my international career. This is an exciting challenge but one that I take on with positivity with our test team being in exceptionally good space at the moment with the support of a strong core of senior players."
“I have concentrated on taking my batting to the highest possible level and now I feel I am in a position to make a contribution to South African cricket in a leadership role.”
Amla is the 5th captain of the Proteas after Kepler Wessels (1992), Hansie Cronje (1994), Shaun Pollock (2000) and Graeme Smith (2003). However, Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince were once named stand-in captains.
According to CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat, “It is a reflection of the excellence and standing of our senior players that there was more than one quality candidate to consider for this most important leadership position. Hashim is universally respected, both in South Africa and around the cricketing world, not only for his quality as a player which has seen him ranked among the best batsmen in the world in both test and ODI cricket, but also for his personal qualities."
“He has shown his steel in playing in the key No 3 batting position, one which he took over from Jacques Kallis with great success. The manner in which he has adapted his game to suit the different forms of cricket speaks volumes for his skills to react to changing circumstances. He has earned particular respect as a role model for his humility and his upholding of the best traditions and spirit of the game. Becoming captain is a natural progression for his outstanding career and we are indeed fortunate to have a leader of his quality."
“Stability has been one of the endearing qualities he has brought to the Proteas and this is important at a time when we have had to replace several key players in Smith, Kallis and Boucher.”
Proteas Castle Lager Test Squad
Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Dean Elgar, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Dale Steyn & Stiaan van Zyl.
Stiaan van Zyl and Dane Piedt will make their Test debuts after they were named in the 15-man squad that will tour Sri Lanka.
Proteas Castle Lager ODI Squad
AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Beuran Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander & Dale Steyn.
Beuran Hendricks was named in the ODI squad as a replacement for Lonwabo Tsotsobe who is still recovering from surgery.
FIXTURES
1st ODI - 6 July - 06:15 - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
2nd ODI - 9 July - 11:00 - Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
3rd ODI - 12 July - 06:15 - Mahindra Rajapaska, Hambantota
1st Test - 16 July - Galle International Stadium
2nd Test - 24 July - 06:30 - Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
CSA Awards Annual Ceremony
4 June 2014
