There aren't generally too many questions in press conferences that cause surprise, but a member of the English press contingent caused mild shock on Saturday when he asked Graeme Smith whether he might be under a bit of pressure as captain going into this must-win Test.

Of course defeat here at Newlands would be a second successive home series loss for the Proteas at a time when they're largely expected to conquer all before them, but the question still seemed over the top given that the English papers were lathering Smith with praise after the Centurion Test. Funny how quickly things can turn around.

The man in question wasn't overly taken aback, and answered the question in a level-headed manner: "I think you constantly reassess your position as a captain and even through the good times I've constantly reassessed whether I'm the right man for the job," he said. "From a personal perspective I'm pretty relaxed with that. I'm comfortable with what I've been through as captain and what I've achieved. Obviously I'd be hugely proud to carry on for a period of time that I think I can be successful, and I can't say that I'm feeling any extra pressure in the job. I've just gone about being the best captain I can be in this time, and that's where I am at the moment."

So does he still feel that this is his team?

"Ja there's no doubt about that and I'm very comfortable with it. If I didn't then I would walk away. I've been a part of seeing two England captains walk away at different stages of my career so I've had a lot of experience of looking at things, at why and what happened and understanding different ways and as I say I feel very comfortable at the moment. If someone felt differently then so be it, we'd move on and hopefully extend our careers in other ways."

The team Smith is leading is arguably the most talented South Africa have boasted since readmission - others have boasted greater players but never has the side looked so balanced on paper. Smith was unable to put his finger on why they haven't been able to reach the same levels that they achieved in England and Australia in 2008, with the imbalance between the amount of limited overs and Test action in 2009 the only excuse he could muster.

Of course that didn't explain why the Proteas also had a rotten year in one-day and Twenty20 Internationals. Overall the impression that they simply can't handle the favourites tag remains, with the Test series win in England the only time that they've been expected to dominate and duly delivered.

Smith has done a fantastic job with coach Mickey Arthur in taking South Africa to the top of the rankings in both formats of the game and there's certainly no-one who could lead them as well as Smith has. To ditch the captain on the back of two series losses would be foolish given the investment put into him over the past six and a half years. His best years as captain are still to come.

"It probably took two or three years to get a grasp of the job but the last period of time I've really felt comfortable and felt like we've started to take steps forward," he says. "It's been unfortunate that we haven't been able to perform as well of late. I certainly wouldn't say that anything's changed around the group. The players are still the right players."

That last assertion is quite correct, but the challenge for Smith is to haul the players over that mental hurdle that's prevented them from realising their full potential. Jacques Kallis is the oldest member of the team now that Makhaya Ntini's days appear to be over, so the opportunity to develop the side into world beaters is certainly there. It's up to Smith to make sure that he comes to be remembered as the captain who took South Africa into that next realm, rather than another leader of nearly men, and this Test is crucial to his prospects.