Graeme Smith

Johannesburg: A good record in the subcontinent, and experienced players, will help South Africa on their tour of India after a tumultuous week in which coach Mickey Arthur resigned, captain Graeme Smith said Saturday.

The Proteas left Johannesburg on Saturday for two Tests and three one-day Internationals against India, the world No.1 in Tests, after Arthur quit on Wednesday due to differences with Cricket South Africa.

“It’s been an emotional week and not many teams go to India and win,” Smith told a news conference on Saturday.

“But our record in the subcontinent is solid, and the players who have been part of the set-up for a while have dealt with a few difficult things in recent years and handled them very well.

“I expect the seniors to be professional and normal, and I’m looking up to them for taking responsibility and guiding the young ones,” the captain added.

Arthur had resigned because of a disagreement with the Board over the team’s future.

“Differences have arisen between the Board and me on the way forward and I don’t believe I can take the team forward in the present circumstances,” Arthur had said in a news conference the day after his shock resignation.

“My vision of how to go forward with the team was clear, but the Board’s was different. I’ve always run a tight management and team, but the CSA board of directors want structural changes.”

Former pacer Corrie van Zyl, an assistant coach for the national team between 1998 and 2003, has replaced Arthur on an interim basis.

“My experience of things like the last week is that it builds a team rather than tears it apart,” Van Zyl said.

“I was part of the management team when the Hansie Cronje issue came about and sometimes those things just pull a team together.”

Former South Africa captain Cronje admitted in 2000 to receiving about $130,000 from bookmakers to influence the course of matches. He was banned for life.

“Obviously the players have to deal with their emotions, but it’s a very important series and we need to focus on our preparations,” Van Zyl said.

South Africa will play a two-day warm-up match against the Board President’s XI in Nagpur, starting on Tuesday, before the first Test in the same city, which begins on February 6.