Graeme Smith will become South Africas youngest captain

Graeme Smith will become the youngest South African Test and Limited Overs captain when he leads his team out against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Smith will be 22 years and 59 days when he captains South Africa against Sri Lanka in the Limited Overs international at Sharjah on 1 April and 22 years 82 days when he captains South Africa in the Tests against Bangladesh at Dhaka starting on 24 April. This will make him the 3rd youngest Test captain and 2nd youngest Limited Overs International captain.

The previous youngest South African captains are included in the lists below.

Name Yrs Day Team Against Venue Season Nawab of Pataudi 21 77 India West Indies Bridgetown 1961/62 Waqar Younis 22 15 Pakistan Zimbabwe Karachi-D 1993/94 GC Smith 22 82 RSA Bangladesh Dhaka 2003 ID Craig 22 194 Australia South Africa Johannesburg 1957/58 Javed Miandad 22 260 Pakistan Australia Karachi 1979/80 M Bisset 22 306 RSA England Johannesburg 1898/99 MP Bowden 23 144 England South Africa Cape Town 1888/89 SR Tendulkar 23 169 India Australia Delhi 1996/97 GC Grant 23 217 West Indies Australia Adelaide 1930/31 Hon IFW Bligh 23 292 England Australia Melbourne 1882/83 SP Fleming 23 319 New Zealand England Christchurch 1996/97

Name Yrs Day Team Against Venue Season Waqar Younis 21 354 Pakistan West Indies Sharjah 1993/94 GC Smith 22 59 RSA Sri Lanka Sharjah 2002/03 SR Tendulkar 23 126 India Sri Lanka Colombo-RPS 1996/97 Javed Miandad 23 162 Pakistan West Indies Karachi 1980/81 Moin Khan 23 196 Pakistan India Sharjah 1994/95 Kapil Dev 23 249 India Sri Lanka Amritsar 1982/83 ADR Campbell 23 338 Zimbabwe Australia Colombo-RPS 1996/97 SP Fleming 23 358 New Zealand Sri Lanka Christchurch 1996/97 WJ Cronje 24 105 RSA New Zealand Brisbane 1993/94 IT Botham 24 186 England West Indies Leeds 1980 CD McMillan 24 209 New Zealand Sri Lanka Sharjah 2000/01