Steve Smith Well Respected, Can Become Success Story Like Graeme Smith, Feels Jacques Kallis

Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis feels that Steve Smith is a good choice as Test skipper despite his young age. Kallis believes that Graeme Smith is the best example of a captain being successful despite taking charge without much experience. (Ponting Backs Steve)

South African legend Jacques Kallis became the latest in a list of noted names to hail Steve Smith's appointment as Australia's 45th Test captain. The 25-year-old batsman was named skipper after an injured Michael Clarke was ruled out of the remainder of the series against India. (Smith Named Stand-in Skipper)

Kallis sees plenty of similarities between Steve and another Smith, who led South Africa through a glorious decade. Graeme Smith was a mere 22 when he was named Proteas skipper after the 2003 World Cup. Kallis said the important thing was that like Graeme, Steve is also a well-respected figure in the team despite the young age. "I can only speak from an outsider's point of view that Steve looks like a guy that is well respected," Kallis said in an article in www.theage.com.au.

Much like Graeme, Steve's biggest challenge would be leading older players, hardened Test cricketers with more experience than him. Eleven years ago, Graeme faced similar challenges but went on to become one of the most respected skippers in the game. (Hazlewood Set for Test Debut)

"I don't know him in that team environment well enough to comment too much on that but certainly from Graeme's point of view he was very well respected within the team and almost from the day he walked in he had those leadership qualities. So we kind of knew he was going to get groomed for that and certainly as senior players we backed him 100 per cent." (Smith Eyes 2-0 Lead)

Under Graeme Smith, South Africa dominated the world and rightfully claimed the top spot in the ICC Test rankings. Graeme, a gutsy left-handed opening batsman, led the Proteas to 53 wins, becoming Test cricket's most successful captain before retiring in March this year.

"And to be fair he (Graeme) relied a lot on the senior players early on when he was making decisions and that and rightly so and then obviously learned as he went along. Being 22 years old, sure he made a lot of mistakes when he was a youngster but I think the big thing is he learnt from that and it made him into the captain that he was and in my eyes one of the better captains we've ever had. Graeme certainly turned out to be very successful and I don't think Steve will be too far behind that," said Kallis.