Linda Zondi, Russell Domingo and Faf du Plessis have all stated emphatically that AB de Villiers is South Africa’s Test captain and he has all their support for when he returns to the Proteas team.
That return will hopefully be for the first Test against Sri Lanka starting on Boxing Day at St George’s Park.
And yet for all the support that De Villiers can count on, there’ll be a lingering thought at the back of everyone’s mind - from the players to spectators: but what if Faf can stay on?’ Or worse - especially if things go wrong: What would Faf do?’
One of the great criticisms directed at the South African cricket team over the years has been about the rigidity with which the team plays.
An inability to think on their feet has often been offered as a reason for the side’s struggles, particularly at limited overs events.
While the criticism still exists, for the most part the Proteas have been a more loose team in recent years, willing to try things and implement some out-of-the-box thinking.
Even on the successful tour to Australia, they weren’t afraid to drop Keshav Maharaj, who’d done nothing wrong, to include Tabriaz Shamsi in the last Test because they felt he could offer a more attacking threat in Adelaide.
But it’s one thing to be chopping and changing bowlers, quite another to do so with your captain.
Du Plessis came to the Test captaincy by chance this season.
De Villiers was injured and the last person to lead the side, Hashim Amla, harbours no captaincy ambitions having decided it is no longer for him last season.
Captaincy comes naturally to Du Plessis, more so than his good chum De Villiers and he’s certainly thrived in the role this season.
And yet De Villiers hasn’t really had a chance to captain the side.
Those who demand greater flexibility from the Proteas may take a hardline stance, and demand De Villiers get over himself, see how the team is performing and realise perhaps it is right that he leaves the captaincy to Du Plessis.
But on the flipside De VIlliers is also desperate to captain his country. He was bitterly disappointed when he was overlooked for Amla in 2015.
Since being formally named Test captain in February, he hasn’t had the chance to lead the Test team because of injury.
He deserves at least to be given the opportunity. De Villiers isn’t stupid. He’d have seen how the side has performed in recent weeks in his absence, the level of excellence achieved against Australia in both the One-Day and Test formats and the determination and willingness to fight when the going got tough particularly in the Perth Test. That’s a hugely encouraging sign.
De Villiers makes that Test team better, whether as the captain or not.
For now he is the captain and must be given the chance to lead them.
The Star