Graeme Smith announced on Wednesday he will stand down as captain of South Africa's Twenty20 international squad with immediate effect and as ODI skipper after next year's World Cup.
"After a lot of thought and consideration I have decisded to step down from the captaincy of the Standard Bank ODI squad at the conclusion of the 2011 ICC World Cup campaign," Smith was quoted as saying on the Cricket South Africa website.
"There are several reasons why I have made this important career decision. I am going into my ninth season of international cricket, eight of which have been as captain.
"It is my intention to play for another five or six years and I know in my heart that I can only do that if I give up some of my current responsibilities."
Smith will remain captain of South Africa's Test squad and will be available for selection for the national cricket team in all three formats of the game, the union said.
Union chief executive Gerald Majola said Smith's decision was in the interest of both himself and the game and that it would pave way for other young cricketers to assume the captaincy.
