BBC Online :South Africa have appointed Hashim Amla as their new Test captain.The 31-year-old batsman succeeds Graeme Smith, who retired from international cricket in March after a record 109 Tests as skipper.Amla’s first assignment will be a two-match series in Sri Lanka next month with one-day captain AB de Villiers as his vice-captain.”It is an honour and a privilege to be given this responsibility,” Amla said.”I would like to pay tribute to the leadership Graeme Smith has provided throughout my international career.”De Villiers, the number one-ranked Test batsman and the South Africa wicketkeeper, was Smith’s deputy and was thought to have been a leading candidate for the Test captaincy.Twenty20 captain Faf du Plessis was the third player considered for the role.Last month South Africa were usurped at the top of the Test rankings by Australia, having held the number one position since August 2012.Durban-born Amla, the first player of Indian descent to represent South Africa, is the fifth permanent skipper of the Proteas since their re-integration in 1992, following Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje, Shaun Pollock and Smith.He led South Africa at the 2002 U19 World Cup, made his international debut in 2004 and has played 76 Tests.Amla said: “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.”Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat hoped the appointment of Amla would bring stability to the Test team following the recent retirements of wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and opening batsman Smith.”He has earned particular respect as a role model for his humility and his upholding of the best traditions and spirit of the game,” former International Cricket Council chief executive Lorgat said.”Becoming captain is a natural progression for his outstanding career and we are indeed fortunate to have a leader of his quality.”
