Faf Du Plessis is all set to take over the reins of RCB ahead of IPL 15. Amidst a lot of speculation about who will be Kohli’s ideal successor, the former Proteas captain has emerged as the front-runner in that race. The franchise officially announced the mega appointment on their social media handles.
Du Plessis over the years has ruled the roost in T20s and IPL plus his acumen as a leader is proven in international cricket. A long-time trusted comrade of CSK, the stylish right-handed batter was one of the biggest signings for RCB in the mega auction of 2022. A prolific run-scorer at the top, Du Plessis ended second on the list of highest run-getters in IPL2021. His consistency in scoring big and his agility on the fields make him a multi-dimensional player. The RCB think tank will hope that transition of power at the helm will work as good luck for them. The 3 times runners-up team will be desperate to win their maiden IPL title under a new skipper.
“Coming in as an outsider, I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity. I have played a lot of IPL and understand the dynamics of the game. It’s no small thing to trust an outsider, an overseas player to do the job as a leader. My style in doing that isn’t going to be ‘my way’. I’ll rely on the amazing experience of our domestic and international players. We have got great leader of the game in Virat Kohli,”
Faf Du Plessis stated on being appointed as the new RCB captain.
“Happy to pass on the baton to Faf!” Kohli’s message to his successor
Former RCB skipper Virat Kohli warmly welcomed Faf Du Plessis as the new leader of the side. Another RCB legend, A B de Villiers congratulated his Proteas team-mate and hailed him as the perfect man for the job.
Faf Du Plessis has featured in 100 IPL matches. He is close to the 3000 run mark in the league and carries a staggering strike rate of 131.09 at an average of nearly 35. An excellent fielder with one of the safest pairs of hands in the world, Faf has taken an aggregate of 66 catches.
However, there will be quite a few challenges for Faf. The 37-year-old will need to get quickly accustomed to the RCB atmosphere. It will be his first year in the franchise as a player as well. To settle the shortcomings of the team that has complicated their campaigns in the past years. RCB always looks like a strong XI on paper but have mostly failed to replicate the same on the field. Keeping aside individual star performances, the new RCB skipper will surely work hard to infuse the strength of a collective unit in the Red and Gold Army.
