South Africa keen on continuity of leadership, says Hudson

South Africa will look for continuity of leadership when choosing their next ODI captain. AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Johan Botha are the frontrunners to take over the position vacated by Graeme Smith at the end of the World Cup.

"We don't want to chop and change too much," Andrew Hudson, convenor of selectors told ESPNCricinfo. "The future one-day and Twenty20 captain may also go on to be the next Test captain, depending on how much longer Graeme wants to stay on in that role."

Botha, who was named Smith's successor as captain of the twenty-over side, has been stand-in ODI captain on numerous occasions in Smith's absence and was seen as the captain-in-waiting until recently. The inclusion of legspinner Imran Tahir and the form of Robin Peterson meant that Botha's place in the starting XI is no longer guaranteed and he sat out two of South Africa's seven games in the World Cup. Hudson confirmed that the new captain would have to be someone who is "a regular in the side" which lessens Botha's chances of taking over. Hudson also indicated that the future ODI captain could go on to be the Test captain. Botha has only played five Tests, with Paul Harris favoured as the first-choice spinner. Tahir's eligibility means that Botha's hopes of featuring in more Tests are slim.

The other characteristic the selection committee is looking for in the new leader is "someone who wants the job," which may put Amla in doubt. He has shown reluctance to lead in the past, although he has had two stints as captain at different levels. Amla captained the South Africa under-19 side in the 2002 World Cup and took them to the final. He was also the first captain of the Dolphins under the franchise system in the 2004-05 season. He was just 21 years at the time and relinquished the role after one season with the Dolphins, saying he wanted to concentrate more on his batting.

Amla has matured immensely since then, establishing himself as one of the calmest heads in the game and may be ready to take up the leadership challenge. Insiders have revealed that CSA have already approached him about the possibility of being the captain and that Amla is considering his options. He fits the continuity bill perfectly as it's likely that he will be the next Test captain, having been earmarked for the role since the early days of his career. Amla will not be South Africa's first non-white captain, with Ashwell Prince having captained the side in Smith's absence before, but his appointment will be seen as a major break from traditional cricket thinking in South Africa.

de Villiers is also in the running, as one of the senior-most players in the squad and a crucial cog in the batting line-up. He was given the added responsibility of wicket-keeping during the World Cup and that may be seen as a reason not to burden him with anything extra. However, de Villiers thrived in his dual role, with his batting average staying higher when he is keeping than when he isn't. His role as wicketkeeper may also come under scrutiny because of his persistent back problem, which meant that he was not able to be behind the stumps in five of the seven World Cup games.

If the wicketkeeping duties were permanently given to someone else, de Villiers may end up being first-choice as captain - his unending enthusiasm, workmanlike attitude and rapport with the players being the standout characteristics of his case. de Villiers also ticks both boxes on Hudson's list: he is a regular in the side and is reportedly keen to take on the job.

The new coach, who will be appointed at the beginning of June, will have a sizeable say in the appointment of the new captain, according to Hudson. There's a school of thought which suggests that with the new coach and captain, wholesale changes may occur and someone from outside the squad could be brought in as captain. Jacques Rudolph is the dark horse in the captaincy debate and it won't be all that surprising if he is recalled to the side, as captain. Rudolph returned to South African cricket last season, ending his Kolpak deal with Yorkshire, who he had been with since 2007. He captained the Titans franchise this season and although they weren't able to collect any silverware, his personal form was impressive. He topped the run charts in the SuperSport Series with 954 runs in 10 matches at an average of 59.62, almost 200 runs more than his nearest rival, Neil McKenzie. He was also the leading run-scorer for the franchise in the Pro20 with 272 runs in seven matches and at an average of 38.85 and a strike rate of close to 120.

Rudolph's current form will not wash away memories of this past stint at international level, which was adequate without being outstanding. He was initially selected to play in the New Year's Test in Australia in 2002 but administrative intervention meant he was withdrawn from the team. Justin Ontong replaced Rudolph in the starting XI because of the quota system, which was being rigidly enforced by then President Percy Sonn. Rudolph made his debut in 2003 against Bangladesh and scored 222 not out and featured consistently in the side for three years. A run of poor form from March 2005 to August 2006, in which his highest score was 49 not out, meant he was dropped from the national side. He has a Test average of 36.21 and an ODI average of 35.57 and is still considered among the most talented batsmen on the domestic circuit.