Smith (R) knows the demands and pressures Pietersen (L) will face

South Africa captain Graeme Smith thinks the swashbuckling way Kevin Pietersen plays cricket is likely to change with his captaincy of England.

Batsman Pietersen, 28, has a reputation for taking risks at the crease.

"His brand of cricket is going to have to change with the style of play that he wants the team to play," he told BBC Sport. "It's about finding balance.

"You can do those things until you bump your head and the pressure's on and you need to win series and win Tests."

South Africa-born Pietersen was named England's new captain on Monday following Michael Vaughan's shock resignation and it is an appointment that has already caused much debate.

He will lead them for the first time in a Test in Thursday's fourth Test against South Africa - a 'dead rubber' after an inspired innings from Smith, 27, in last week's third Test ensured South Africa would win a series in England for the fist time since 1965.

I think there's certainly a lot more responsibility in terms of having to walk the walk with your team Graeme Smith South Africa captain

Smith, named the youngest ever South Africa captain when just 22, insists that Pietersen - who unveiled a new style of 'switch-hitting' in a recent Twenty20 match and regularly goes for daring boundaries - will initially attempt to play his natural game.

"Knowing the man like I think we do, he's going to be trying to prove to everybody that he can," he said.

"[But] for him it's going to be about finding the balance... where he can marry the two of his captaincy and batting.

"I think there's certainly a lot more responsibility in terms of having to walk the walk with your team.

"You are always asking a lot of your players, demanding a lot from their performances and thinking - and you have to do that yourself. That will come in time."

Smith also said that Pietersen - with whom he has a notoriously difficult relationship - will not be under too much pressure in the early stages of the job, as the Hampshire man "finds his feet", but insisted it would soon come.

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"It's in time, when you need to sustain your success," he said.

"He has some tough challenges ahead. He's got to develop a team pretty quickly and decide on what his style of play will be."

Smith also had some sympathetic words for Vaughan, who led England for much of the South African's time in charge of his own country.

"I wasn't expecting Vaughan to walk away," he said. "I felt for him.

"In many ways he's always been a wonderful captain and we've had so many competitive battles. It's sad to see him go."