Du Plessis quits as SA’s captain
Johannesburg, Feb. 17: Faf du Plessis announced on Monday that he was stepping down as South Africa’s cricket captain with immediate effect.
Du Plessis, 35, said he needed to take “a step back” from the captaincy in order to help the emergence of the next generation of leaders under Quinton de Kock.
De Kock led the team in recent one-day and Twenty20 internationals against England while Du Plessis was being rested.
It was announced last month that De Kock would be South Africa’s long-term one-day captain but in Monday’s statement, Du Plessis said he was also relinquishing the Test and T20 captaincy.
In a statement issued by Cricket South Africa, Du Plessis said he wanted to concentrate on contributing to the team as a batsman and senior player.
Du Plessis captained South Africa in 112 matches across all formats, including 36 Tests.
He said his time away from cricket since the end of the Test series against England last month had given him “a lot of perspective”.
Back in side Meanwhile, du Plessis and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada returned to the South African squad for a three-match Twenty20 series against Australia, starting on Friday.— AFP The squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis, Bjorn Fortuin, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts, Dale Steyn, Pite van Biljon, Rassie van der Dussen.