With the eight-team Champions Trophy beginning on February 19 and World Test Championship (WTC) final scheduled for June this year, Smith believes South Africa is on the brink of breaking their ICC trophy drought.
"Kohli has been a flagbearer of the longest format of the game. He led India to the final of the maiden World Test Championships alongside several memorable Test wins," he said.
Sehwag's decision comes only two days after one of his contemporaries Zaheer Khan decided to call time on his career. A day before his 37th birthday, Sehwag unveiled at the launch ceremony of the veterans 2020 league in Dubai.
South Africa want to use their recent series win in Australia as a stepping stone to cement their position as the world's dominant test team and to build something "really special", captain Graeme Smith said on Wednesday.
India levelled the one-day series at 1-1 after paceman Munaf Patel clinched a thrilling one-run win over South Africa in the second match at the Wanderers on Saturday.