Faf du Plessis: Delhi Capitals' Experienced Opener

Faf du Plessis, a dynamic top-order batsman known for his consistency and leadership, is set to represent Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2025. With a remarkable IPL career spanning multiple franchises, his presence adds strength and stability to DC’s batting lineup.

Personal Detailsm of Faf Du Plessis:

Attribute	Details
Full Name	Francois “Faf” du Plessis
DOB	July 13, 1984
Birthplace	Pretoria, South Africa
Nationality	South African
Role	Batsman
Batting	Right-Handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg-break
Teams	SA, CSK, RCB, DC, Titans, Paarl Royals

Early Life & Domestic Career

Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Faf du Plessis made his mark in domestic cricket playing for Titans before stepping into international cricket. His solid technique, combined with his ability to play long innings, made him one of South Africa’s most reliable batsmen.
SA Roots (2003-2011): Started with Northerns, debuted for South Africa in 2011 (ODI 60 vs. India). A Kolpak stint with Lancashire (2008-2010) sharpened his edge.

Test Titan (2012-2021): Test debut ton (110* vs. Australia) in 2012—blocked 376 balls to save a draw! Led SA as T20I captain (2013-2020), retired from Tests in 2021 with 4,163 runs.

IPL Dawn (2012-2021): Joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for ₹55 lakh. Key cog in 2018 and 2021 titles—86 in the 2021 final won him Player of the Match.

RCB Reign (2022-2024): Skippered Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹7 crore, scoring 730 runs in 2023 (second-highest). Took RCB to playoffs twice.

DC Duty (2025): Released by RCB, snapped by DC at base price. Vice-captain gig brings his 4,571 IPL runs to the table—experience meets hunger!

Globally, Faf’s got 10 Test tons, 12 ODI centuries, and 1 T20I hundred (119 vs. West Indies, 2015). Post-SA captaincy (resigned 2020), he’s a T20 mercenary—think MLC 2024’s 100 off 54 for Texas Super Kings.

Cricket Career

Format	M	Runs	Avg	SR	100s	50s	HS
Test	69	4,163	40.02	46.33	10	21	199
ODI	143	5,507	47.47	88.60	12	35	185
T20I	50	1,528	35.53	134.38	1	10	119
T20s	404	11,236	32.66	130.64	6	73	120

IPL Journey with Delhi Capitals

Faf du Plessis began his IPL career in 2012 with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), playing a key role in their title-winning campaigns. He was later signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2022, where he also served as captain. For IPL 2025, Delhi Capitals secured him to strengthen their top order.

IPL Career Stats

Y	Team	M	Runs	Avg	SR	100s	50s	HS
2012	CSK	13	398	33.16	130.92	0	3	73
2014	CSK	15	205	18.63	121.30	0	0	54
2015	CSK	17	380	29.23	125.67	0	1	55
2016	RPS	6	206	34.33	127.16	0	2	69
2017	RPS	2	8	8.00	88.88	0	0	8
2018	CSK	6	162	27.00	125.58	0	1	67
2019	CSK	12	396	36.00	123.36	0	3	96
2020	CSK	13	449	40.81	140.75	0	4	87*
2021	CSK	16	633	45.21	138.20	0	6	95
2022	RCB	16	468	31.20	127.52	0	3	96
2023	RCB	14	730	56.15	153.68	0	8	84
2024	RCB	13	438	36.50	140.00	0	3	73
2025	DC	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Why Faf’s DC’s Anchor in 2025

Faf du Plessis is DC’s glue and spark:

Top-Order Rock: Opens or bats No. 3, steadying innings with flair—730 runs in 2023 prove his chops.
Big-Game Beast: 86 in the 2021 final, clutch fifties—DC’s playoff dreams need that cool head.
Fielding Flash: Stunning catches (like his 2024 backward sprint vs. RR) make him a 40-year-old dynamo.

Delhi Capitals (DC) Players List for IPL 2025

Retained Players (Pre-Auction)

Axar Patel (Captain, All-Rounder) – ₹16.50 crore
Kuldeep Yadav (Bowler) – ₹13.25 crore
Tristan Stubbs (Wicketkeeper-Batter) – ₹10 crore
Abishek Porel (Wicketkeeper-Batter, Uncapped) – ₹4 crore

Players Bought at IPL 2025 Auction

KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper-Batter) – ₹14 crore
Mitchell Starc (Bowler) – ₹11.75 crore
T Natarajan (Bowler) – ₹10.75 crore
Jake Fraser-McGurk (Batter) – ₹9 crore (via Right to Match)
Mukesh Kumar (Bowler) – ₹8 crore (via Right to Match)
Harry Brook (Batter) – ₹6.25 crore
Ashutosh Sharma (All-Rounder, Uncapped) – ₹3.80 crore
Faf du Plessis (Batter, Vice-Captain) – ₹2 crore
Mohit Sharma (Bowler) – ₹2.20 crore
Sameer Rizvi (All-Rounder, Uncapped) – ₹95 lakh
Karun Nair (Batter) – ₹50 lakh
Donovan Ferreira (Wicketkeeper-Batter) – ₹75 lakh
Dushmantha Chameera (Bowler) – ₹1 crore
Ajay Mandal (All-Rounder, Uncapped) – ₹30 lakh
Darshan Nalkande (All-Rounder) – ₹1 crore
Manvanth Kumar (All-Rounder, Uncapped) – ₹30 lakh
Madhav Tiwari (All-Rounder, Uncapped) – ₹30 lakh
Tripurana Vijay (All-Rounder, Uncapped) – ₹30 lakh
Vipraj Nigam (All-Rounder, Uncapped) – ₹30 lakh

Squad Summary

Total Players: 23 (out of a maximum 25 slots; 2 slots remain unfilled as of now).
Purse Spent: ₹119.80 crore out of ₹120 crore, leaving ₹0.20 crore (20 lakh) remaining (per IPLT20.com).
Breakdown:
- Batters: Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Harry Brook, Karun Nair.
- Wicketkeepers: KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Donovan Ferreira.
- All-Rounders: Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Darshan Nalkande, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Madhav Tiwari, Tripurana Vijay, Vipraj Nigam.
- Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera.
Overseas Players: 7 (out of max 8): Starc, Fraser-McGurk, Stubbs, Brook, du Plessis, Ferreira, Chameera.
Captain: Axar Patel (confirmed by DC on March 14, 2025).
Vice-Captain: Faf du Plessis (announced March 18, per Times of India).
Coach: Hemang Badani (replacing Ricky Ponting).
Director of Cricket: Venugopal Rao.

Faf du Plessis’ experience and skill set make him a valuable asset for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. His ability to stabilize innings and accelerate when needed will be crucial for the team’s success. With a proven track record, he remains a key player to watch this season.