DHAKA, April 16: South Africa wicket-keeper Mark Boucher on Wednesday said he would have refused captaincy of their national cricket team had he been offered the job.

“I would have said no to it (captaincy),” said Boucher. “I was not prepared for that extra responsibility and would much rather concentrate on my role behind the stumps.”

Boucher was vice-captain of the South African side that failed to go beyond the first round of this year’s World Cup, but Graeme Smith replaced Shaun Pollock when the selectors decided for a change in captaincy.

South Africa have not named a deputy for Smith according to a new policy.

“It takes a special person to be captain of an international side,” said 26-year-old Boucher, who has 228 victims in 58 Tests and 215 victims in 145 one-dayers.

“I would not have been comfortable worrying about bowling changes and field placements while keeping wicket, though I would always like to chip in with suggestions,” Boucher said.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Dire straits
Updated 14 Jul, 2026

Dire straits

FOR some time, the escalating confrontation between the US and Iran has been playing out round the strategically...
Ethnic targets
Updated 14 Jul, 2026

Ethnic targets

THE murder of five workers from Punjab in Mashkel is another grim reminder that ethnic violence remains a persistent...
Poverty punished
14 Jul, 2026

Poverty punished

THE challenge of illegal migrations should be viewed through a humanitarian lens. Harsh punishments for the poor...
Banking inertia
Updated 13 Jul, 2026

Banking inertia

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s latest call to banks to expand lending to SMEs is nothing new. Every government...
Justice imperilled
13 Jul, 2026

Justice imperilled

THE Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the International Federation for Human Rights have raised concerns about...
Toxic staple
13 Jul, 2026

Toxic staple

A RECENT article published in Dawn has shed light on the challenges being faced by Sindh’s chilli farmers, whose...