 Graeme Smith - one of the best young captains in world cricket?
19th Mar 2008 23:00 IST
Manish Kumar
And since then Smith has achieved several landmarks as captain such as:
- His 277 against England in 2003 still stands as South African cricket’s highest individual Test score.
- He has been the quickest South African to reach 1 000 Test runs - in 17 innings.
- He is the second youngest to reach 5 000 Test runs, behind Tendulkar.
- He is the only South African with four Test double centuries.
- He holds the world first-wicket partnership record in a Test with Neil McKenzie - 415 vs Bangladesh this year.
- He is the only player to have shared four opening partnerships over 300 in Tests (three with Herschelle Gibbs, one with McKenzie).
- He has captained South Africa a record 54 times in Tests, one more than Hansie Cronje.
Gerald Majola, chief executive of Cricket South Africa, said he was confident that Smith would also lead the team to the top ranking in Test cricket.
The Proteas are fourth in the Test list, behind leaders Australia, along with India and Sri Lanka. South Africa play three Tests against India later this month and in April.
If Smith does lead South Africa to a Test series win against India, then anyone would hardly doubt that he is indeed one of the best young captains in world cricket. |
