South Africa require strong leadership: Graeme Smith

Johannesburg: Former skipper Graeme Smith believes that a "strong leadership" is required by the current South African team.

England's bowling coach Ottis Gibson is set to replace Russell Domingo as the Proteas head coach.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have agreed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), that Gibson can join up with the Proteas after England's Test series with the West Indies which is scheduled to end on September 11.

Domingo has been in the role since May 2013 and his contract expired with the recently concluded Test tour of England which the Proteas lost 1-3.

However, Smith is hesitant to say whether the former West Indies paceman's appointment would be the right one.

"We'll first have to see how things go with him (Gibson) at the helm. One thing is certain, there is good, strong leadership needed for the team," Sport24 quoted Smith as saying.

As per Smith, the first task for the new Proteas coach would be make swashbuckling batsman AB de Villiers make clear his future international ambitions.

De Villiers has stated that he wants to hold talks with the CSA about his international future, which has been the cause for plenty of controversy in recent months with neither De Villiers nor CSA able to say how much Test cricket he wants to play.

"The situation with AB de Villiers needs to get sorted once and for all so that there is clarity for everyone and where they stand with him. The new coach will play a large and important role in that," said Smith.

The 36-year-old will begin his first stint as professional coach with T20 Global League franchise Benoni Zalmi.