South Africa captain Graeme Smith attributed Rajasthan Royals' success in the Indian Premier League to team spirit and the good showing of the up-and-coming Indian youngsters in the side.
Speaking to The Times, London, Smith said. "There is a good balance and we have benefited from our young Indian guys."
He was referring mainly to the inexperienced Ravindra Jadeja and Niraj Patel, who put on 69 in eight overs as the Royals beat Mumbai Indians off the last ball in a crucial match, and leg spinner Dinesh Salunkhe.
"He [Salunkhe] came off the streets, got recognised and is working with the greatest leggie ever [Shane Warne]," said Smith.
After sweating it out for over two months in India -- first captaining South Africa in a three-Test series that ended in a 1-1 draw, and then playing in the IPL -- Smith is now looking to be back in the cooler climes back home.
"I'm looking forward to cold weather again," he said. "And having a glass or two of good wine at home. After ten weeks away, I've forgotten what my house even looks like."
But Smith will have only two weeks in Cape Town after the IPL as he has to join his international team-mates in Johannesburg for a short training camp before embarking on the tour of England.
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"It is a challenge for those of us who have been in the IPL to get to the level for Test cricket," he said. "England are at that level already there so we'll have to work hard against the counties to remember how to play long innings again."
Though he was all praise for the IPL in which he has already scored 416 runs in ten matches, Smith felt that the tournament could be a bit shorter.
"They are talking about reviewing the length, which would make it better for the international schedule, but I'm certainly not bored," he said. "The publicity is not getting less and the crowds are still coming in."
