“My greatest learning curve,” Faf du Plessis says of his time spent playing for the Chennai Super Kings under MS Dhoni.

Recalling his experiences playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis recently shared some of the lessons he gained. Between 2011 and 2021, Faf du Plessis played for CSK for 11 seasons, contributing to several noteworthy innings for the team.

Faf du Plessis recalled the successful time when he participated in two IPL victories, saying that as a young player, it was amazing to be a part of that dressing room under the guidance of captain MS Dhoni and head coach Stephen Fleming since he learned a lot from the two of them.

“To begin with, as a young man, it was wonderful to be a part of that dressing room. The fact that I had the good fortune to work under Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni right at the beginning of my journey was perhaps my largest learning curve. It was wonderful to observe the experts in action and get knowledge from them. India Today cited Faf du Plessis as saying, “During my first season, I was just sitting and asking questions and observing them.”

Speaking ahead of time, Faf du Plessis said that Dhoni adds something special to the bowling assault and commended his composure under duress.

“They refer to MS as Captain Cool. He is always incredibly composed under duress. It is therefore crucial to maintain your composure under pressure or when the stakes are somewhat higher, as this has a significant impact on your bowling attack in particular. I am extremely fortunate to have worked with him,” he said.

Kin(g)ship of the D-uo! #WhistleForJoburg #ToJoburgWeBelong #SA20 pic.twitter.com/ln0x7y9jBU

— Joburg Super Kings (@JSKSA20) January 8, 2024

The Joburg Super Kings’ captain in SA20 2024 will be Faf du Plessis.

During Qualifier 1 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, du Plessis hit a stunning 67 (42) to assist his team chase down 140 after they were down 62/6. This was perhaps one of his most memorable IPL innings for CSK. In the IPL 2021 final, he hit 86* (59) against the Kolkata Knight Riders to win Player of the Match, making another spectacular knock.

On January 10, 2024, the Johannesburg Super Kings, the reigning champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, will be the team du Plessis leads in the SA20 2024 competition.