Faf du Plessis, the former South Africa captain, on Wednesday announced that he is retiring from Test cricket. The right-hander took over Test captaincy in 2016 and led his team in 36 Tests. He scored 10 Test centuries for the Proteas relinquished leadership last January. He ended last year with a knock of 199 against Sri Lanka, his highest score in the format.
Du Plessis ends his Test career with 4163 runs in the test format, scored at an average of 40.02, involving 10 centuries and 21 fifties. With two T20 World Cups in the next two years, Du Plessis said he is shifting his focus to the shortest format of the game.
“If someone had told me 15 years ago that I would play 69 Test matches for South Africa and captain the side, I wouldn’t have believed them. I stand in a place of utmost gratitude for a Test career full of blessings bestowed on me,” Du Plessis said in the post. The next two years are T20 WC years. Because of this, my focus is shifting to this format and I want to play as much of it as possible around the world so that I can be the best player I can possibly be,” Du Plessis said in a statement.