At just 22 years old, Graeme Smith became the youngest captain in Proteas history when he succeeded Shaun Pollock. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Proteas captains of all time, Smith boasts an impressive record, having won nearly 200 matches across all three formats during his eleven-year tenure. While he did not secure a major trophy, his leadership and accomplishments have left an indelible mark on South African cricket.
As a left-handed batsman, Smith is celebrated as one of the best Test openers ever, holding an average of 48. He made his Test debut for South Africa in 2002 in Cape Town against Australia, where he scored 68 runs in the second innings while batting at number three. He was later promoted to open the batting alongside Herschelle Gibbs, forming a formidable partnership that lasted nearly a decade.
Smith was only 22 years and 82 days old when he captained his first match against Bangladesh. Taking over from Shaun Pollock, the man affectionately known as ‘Biff’ became the youngest Proteas captain in history and led the team until his retirement in 2014.
During his captaincy, Smith led the Proteas in over 100 Test matches. In the latter part of his leadership, the team often established itself as the one to beat, having topped the ICC Test and One Day International (ODI) rankings on multiple occasions. One of his most significant achievements was leading the Proteas to a 2-0 Test series victory over England in 2012.
In 2014, Smith announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 33. Following his retirement, he transitioned into commentary and, in 2019, was appointed as the Director of Cricket for the South African national team. In 2022, Graeme Smith took on the role of Commissioner for the SA20 League, further cementing his influence in the world of cricket.
