Cape Town: Kepler Wessels, a former captain and selector of South Africa, who began his International career playing for Australia, spoke to The Telegraph at Newlands on Friday.

Wessels, now 60, is a regular on the SuperSport commentary team.

Excerpts...

Q Despite playing four fast bowlers and limiting the number of batsmen to six (including 'keeper Quinton de Kock) Faf du Plessis chose to bat... Wasn't it strange?

A I wasn't shocked because Faf likes to bat first, something we've seen in his captaincy. At times, captains could be in a quandary. The wicket may give the impression of doing quite a bit early on, but if you go through that period, you can quickly start consolidating. Having said that, if you select four out and out fast bowlers, you'd definitely be tempted to bowl... To attack the opposition.

Q What would you have done?

A Bowl, if I'd planned to have four fast bowlers in the XI.

Q India left out vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane. If his form was suspect, he should never have been retained as Virat Kohli's deputy...

A Look, I haven't followed things too closely, but if you're the vice-captain, like Rahane is, you're expected to feature in the XI... Maybe, they shouldn't have named him the vice-captain. I must add that I quite like Rahane's batting.

Q You played against India for the first time in the 1980s, for Australia. Later, you played against India in the South Africa colours... What's the difference you find in this team?

A Two things in general terms: The top-order is now proficient to take on the challenges of conditions in, say, South Africa. The core group of batsmen is technically sound and that makes a difference. India's performance in the Wanderers Test, in 2013-2014, was for me a turning point. Conditions weren't easy for batting, yet they fought hard and well... Then, India's pace attack is formidable now. That alone makes a huge difference.

Q Has Virat's captaincy been making a difference?

A I was getting to that as a specific difference... Yes, definitely... Virat is aggressive, he's positive and that has rubbed off on the team. Obviously, Virat likes leading from the front... He injects that high dose of self-belief as well.

Q Some words on Faf, the captain...

A Faf is very calm, is smart with his thinking and hasn't stopped scoring runs since becoming the Test captain. Faf has controlled things admirably.

Q Were you disappointed that AB de Villiers took such a long sabbatical from Test cricket?

A Not really... As a South African, I would have liked AB to play, but he'd reached a point where he needed a break. The 2015 World Cup campaign, where AB was the captain, took its toll... He has a young family... A few things just added up.

Q South Africa's USP?

A The bowling attack... The fast bowlers plus Keshav Maharaj.

Q What about India's USP?

A Improved pace attack. India's batting has always been good, but this crop of pacemen give it a different look.

Q You retired in 1994. Who have been the two most outstanding South African cricketers in the period after your International career ended?

A Nobody has been greater than Jacques Kallis... Next would be Dale Steyn. I've been a fan of both.

Q The last one... Among Indians, who stood out in the same period?

A One will have to go for Sachin Tendulkar, but the one batsman I really liked to watch was Rahul Dravid. I'm not saying Dravid was better than Sachin, but plenty about him stood out. I enjoyed watching him... I'd also mention Anil Kumble, an unusual leg spinner, not that I faced him over a length of time.