Johan Botha will be released from South African contract after the World Twenty20 in September as he will take over the captaincy of South Australia later this year.

All-rounder Botha has been handed the Redbacks' captaincy for the next two seasons, replacing Michael Klinger, after he impressed during his stint with the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League at the start of the year.

The 29-year-old Botha admits it was an opportunity he couldn't turn down.

"I remain fully committed to the Proteas in the long term," the spinner said, "but I would hate to look back on my career at the end and regret that I did not take this opportunity.

"It is purely a cricket decision and there is no financial incentive in accepting it. If anything I will be earning less than I would as a contracted player."

Cricket South Africa acting CEO Jacques Faul said: "Johan has been an excellent servant of South African cricket for a lengthy period of time and we will never forget the manner in which he captained the Proteas to success in the absence of Graeme Smith in the away ODI series in Australia in 2009.

"He has fully committed himself to the Proteas for the next five months, which includes the away series in Zimbabwe and England as well as the World Twenty20. He is at the moment our first choice spinner in the T20 format."

South Australia's coach Darren Berry hailed Botha as a "natural-born leader".

"We don't expect him to be a massive match winner for us, but what he is a quality, ruthless international competitor," Berry told Cricinfo.

"He's a jet in the field, he's more than adequate and solid with the bat, which we need in our middle order. He'll add some steel to our middle order, which constantly falls over. And his bowling will do a really serviceable job.

"The other good thing about it, and this is why Botha is such a good leader and good person, he's made it quite clear he will fit into the team wherever we need him to fit in. That means that whenever Nathan Lyon is available, there is no question that Nathan Lyon is the No.1 spinner and Botha will play as a batsman in those games and be the second spinner."

He added: "He's a cool head under pressure, he's a super-fierce competitor. He's captained his [South African] franchise, the Warriors. We played against him in two Champions League matches and were really impressed by his tactical nous and his knowledge of the game is first-class. When you talk cricket with him he's one of those natural-born leaders."

Cricket 365