'Difficult phase' for SA cricket: de Villiers

Star batsman AB de Villiers has described the period that followed the 2014 retirement of former captain Graeme Smith as a “very difficult phase” for South African cricket.

Smith announced his international retirement during the third Test against Australia in Cape Town last March, ending a reign that lasted 109 Test matches over more than a decade – a world record.

His departure came after legendary allrounder Jacques Kallis called time on his Test career in late 2013 - before quitting international cricket all together last July - while wicketkeeper Mark Boucher retired following a severe eye-injury in 2012.

“It was a very difficult phase when Jacques, Graeme and Mark and to an extent even Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini and some of the big names retired,” de Villiers told the International Cricket Council.

“But especially Graeme now recently, because he started a certain culture that we are very proud of now and that we play for.

“But in saying that, when he retired there was a big change in the team, a lot of senior guys took over the side and we had to start something different again.”

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Learning how to stay true to the culture Smith created while also adapting it to a new generation of South Africa players was the biggest challenge for the current captaincy trio of de Villiers (ODIs), Hashim Amla (Tests) and Faf du Plessis (Twenty20s).

“The way Graeme led the side was a whole lot different to what’s happening now,” de Villiers said.

“For a while we were hanging on to what Graeme used to do, but after a few months we realised we had to let go of certain things."

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Amla and de Villiers have played major roles in the Proteas' success // Getty Images

Despite losing Smith, Boucher and Kallis across the course of 18 months, South Africa’s Test team has barely skipped the beat thanks to a star-studded line-up boasting the world’s No.2 and No.4 Test batsman in de Villiers and Amla, No.1 Test bowler Dale Steyn, along with the talents of du Plessis, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Imran Tahir and Simon Harmer.

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The Proteas returned to the No.1 Test ranking late last year after briefly surrendering it to Australia and now sit 19 points clear on top, while they are the No.3 ODI team, having made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup before being knocked out by New Zealand in a thriller.

“I think we’re doing a really job good,” de Villiers said.

“There’s a nice, fresh vibe and we’re confident about where we’d heading as a cricket side.

“That culture is still in place that Graeme created, but we’re confident about the way we’re doing things at the moment.”

South Africa’s next big challenge a trip to the subcontinent to play India in three T20s, five ODIs and four Tests in October and November.

Last time the Proteas travelled to India, they drew the Test series 1-1 – a series that saw Amla score 490 runs at an average of 490, including 253 not out - and lost the ODI series 2-1.

They have named a Test squad featuring three spinners for the 72-day tour, which will begin with a T20 in Dharamsala on October 2.