Recent changes have brought about optimism, admits Faf du Plessis

Since a series of off-field dramas at Cricket South Africa reached boiling point, Jacques Faul, Mark Boucher, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Charl Langeveldt have all taken on roles within the setup

Optimism around South African cricket has returned since off-field controversies brought about wholesale changes to the body’s leadership structure, admitted Proteas captain Faf du Plessis.

A series of dramas, including the suspension of chief executive Thabang Moroe, calls for the entire Cricket South Africa board to step down and a meeting of the players’ union to discuss the possibility of industrial action, have dominated the headlines in recent weeks.

Amid the chaos, however, a new leadership group has been appointed, with Graeme Smith stepping into an interim director of cricket role, with Mark Boucher taking over as head coach, Jacques Kallis and Charl Langeveldt coming on board as batting consultant and bowling consultant, respectively. Jacques Faul has been placed in charge as interim chief executive.

“We aren't as prepared as we would have liked to be as a Test team but what is more important is the things that have changed in the last two weeks,” du Plessis summed up ahead of his side’s four-match Test series against England.

“Cricketers in South Africa and also the public have got a lot of optimism about the team. Obviously, we'll always get judged on our performances and only time will tell but for me it is really, really important that we focused on getting the right people in the right places.”

He highlighted the importance of the experience of those brought in to oversee the team – former left-arm spinner Paul Harris, who played for South Africa under Smith’s captaincy, has also been working with Keshav Maharaj in a mentoring capacity.

^{Du Plessis, Boucher, Kallis and Harris oversee training}

Du Plessis explained: “We are very inexperienced as a team in some departments. The best way to tackle that head-on is to talk to guys who have been there and done it. The last two days have been exceptional in terms of just hearing the conversations that have taken place.

“The last six months have taken a lot more energy from me as a leader than I would normally require. But it is something I've thought was important and I couldn't not put energy into all the different areas that needed attention.”

Kallis, one of the game’s all-time greats, added that his side would look to target Joe Root, with the England captain under some pressure.

“It's probably an area we will try and target and make sure we put as much pressure on him,” the former allrounder said. “But he's a world-class player so just because he's under pressure doesn't mean he's not going to have a good series.

“No doubt he will be up for a big fight and he'll want to turn it round. We have to make sure we are on the ball against him.”

England’s preparation for the series, meanwhile, has been disrupted by an illness running through the visitors’ camp. Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Jack Leach have all been struck down with flu-like symptoms.

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