Amla still coming to terms with captaincy

Hashim Amla had just begun to answer the first question at the press conference when Denesh Ramdin spotted a problem. Amla's voice, which usually barely rises above a whisper, was not being projected at all. Ramdin though, knew how to fix that. He reached across Amla and turned on the microphone in front of him, much to the giggles of the audience who soon realised there is one thing Ramdin has more experience in than Amla: captaincy.

Although Amla and Ramdin are almost equally new to the leadership role - Ramdin has been in charge for five Tests, Amla for three - there are some differences that are also underlined in their similar trajectories as leaders.

Amla and Ramdin both captained their respective Under-19 sides to age-group World Cup finals but while Amla was a reluctant franchise skipper who stepped down after a season, Ramdin seemed to relish the role for his domestic team Trinidad & Tobago. He was their regular captain for the better part of the last five years before being recently relieved of the job.

Ramdin's familiarity means he did not have to change anything about his own game when he was elevated to the captaincy, but Amla is still easing in to his position and hopes to use this series to make strides as an international leader.

"What I've learnt is that I've got to manage time wisely. That is one of the reasons I am batting at No. 4," Amla said. "It gives me little bit of extra time gathering my thoughts before going in to bat. That's been my biggest challenge so far but it's getting better and I'm sure with every series, I will learn."

This series will also be the first Amla captains at home, and the first home series in more than a decade without Graeme Smith at the helm. Amla knows all eyes will be on him. "Having made my captaincy debut overseas, I didn't have the hype and the attention, which probably was a good thing because now I am a bit more settled," he said. "Captaining at home will be something special."

Apart from his own game, Amla is also aware that the South African public are anticipating seeing something new from a team in transition. They will bear witness to Dean Elgar opening in Smith's place for the first time, Stiaan van Zyl's debut and possibly, even those of Temba Bavuma or Kagiso Rabada. Amla wants to show them South African cricket is in good hands.

"It's been very exciting. We always knew when Graeme and Jacques retired, we would go through a transition but luckily, there are still a few of us who have played for a long time, who hold the fort," Amla said. "The core of the team has remained the same and it has allowed the culture of the team to continue. When we leave, these are the guys who will take the team forward. So passing on knowledge and experience is the responsibility we have."

Fostering growth while still focusing on on-field success requires a careful balance, which Amla believes South Africa have struck. "You want to try and make the transition as natural as possible but there is an element of putting the work in. No relationship is without any hard work," he said. "You've got to pass on what you've learnt and what the Proteas stand for, but the most important factor is to try and make sure we are winning matches."

Ramdin was listening closely to that answer, perhaps because West Indies need to do something similar in their squad. A mix of youth and experience is what they have to take on South Africa, and gelling that into a competitive outfit that can take on the world's top-ranked Test team is Ramdin's mission.

"It's going to be a very challenging series. South Africa are the No.1 team and they have been doing something very good to be at the top of the Test rankings. It's going to be tough to beat them at home," Ramdin admitted. "But we have guys like Kraigg Brathwaite, Jerome Taylor, Shannon Gabriel who have all been doing well so we are in good stead."