Cricket South Africa is set to launch the country’s first-ever T20 league which will be known as the SA20. It’s going to be a new chapter in the South African cricket history which will also witness the reassociation of veteran batter Faf du Plessis with the Super Kings franchise.
The former Proteas skipper was an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) before moving to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last year. He has also been a part of CSK’s victorious journeys in 2018 and 2021. However, ahead of the 2022 edition, the dynamic batter was roped in by RCB and was named the captain after Virat Kohli.
Almost a couple of years later, Du Plessis finds himself under the Super Kings umbrella once again. The 38-year-old has been named the captain of Joburg Super Kings and he is happy to be back in yellow.
Speaking at the captain’s press conference on Saturday, Du Plessis said, “Nice kit, back in yellow for me. A team that I played for a long time in the IPL. And I think, all of us are excited about a new tournament starting in South Africa.”
Given his bond with the Super Kings family in the past, Du Plessis knows the franchise inside out. He believes that the team would serve the youngsters with a great opportunity to flourish in their respective careers.
“It’s important and Graeme touched on it a little bit there. It’s an opportunity for the young South African players to rub shoulders with the likes of Stephen Fleming, Eric Simmons, up there with the best coaches in the game. In terms of fast-tracking talents and people’s brains, there’s no better opportunity for that,” Du Plessis said.
“I’ve seen first-hand how good they are as a management group, and how good the franchise is. So, it’s a pleasure to play for a team like that. So, as a player, you just feel like going out there and doing your best. There’s no pressure on you from the management so it’s a very easy team to play for. I feel very lucky to be a part of this team,” he added.
The tournament kickstarts on January 10 with the opening clash between MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals at Newlands. Joburg Super Kings will lock horns with Durban Super Giants the next day at Kingsmead, Durban.
(Catch the live action of SA20 only on JioCinema, Sports18, Colors Tamil and Sports18 Khel from Jan 10, 2023 onwards)
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