India series shows SA's Gen-Next not yet ready: Smith

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith feels that India's complete dominance in the ongoing ODI series is a sign that the Gen-Next of Proteas is "not quite ready" to take on the quality opposition.

India are on the cusp of a first-ever series win on South African soil across formats as they lead 3-0 in the six-match ODI series.

Skipper Virat Kohli (318 runs) along with wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (11 wickets) and Kuldeep Yadav (10) have contributed significantly to India's emphatic wins so far.

"India team is deservingly 3-0 up in the series. While South Africa have lost three key players (AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock) to injuries but it also showed that next generation of South African cricketers is not quite ready to take it on," Smith told PTI on the sidelines of St Moritz Ice Cricket tournament.

"I think Cricket South Africa needs to think how they would want to blood and develop the youngsters in order to get them up to the level where they can perform. I am extremely disappointed with their performance but one must give credit to India as they have played outstanding cricket," added South Africas longest serving international captain.

Smith, who played 117 Tests for South Africa, made no bones about the fact that the current series, which looks like going India's way, will have a big impact on the transition phase the Proteas are going through.

"At the moment, it looks like a big series loss for the team and it could be disappointing. After 2019 (World Cup), I think we would lose a couple of players (like AB de Villiers) and this series, in particular, showed that next  bunch of players have a lot of work to do in order to get up to the standards where they can at least be competitive.

"I think SA cricket will have to really plan as to how they are looking to blood youngsters. Maybe to keep them in the system (academy or domestic cricket) a bit longer," Smith made a pointed observation after the home team scored only 269, 118 and 179 in three games.

Smith was highly critical of the batsmen, who  struggled against the Indian spin duo of Chahal-Kuldeep during the middle overs.

"They haven't simply batted well enough. There wasn't may be enough experience in the middle-order but still, there was JP Duminy and David Miller who have played a lot of international cricket and quality spin bowling in the IPL.

"But these are two exciting wrist-spinners, who controlled every game. South Africa simply have not yet found out a way to progress in those middle overs," he said.