Faf Du Plessis Instagram account
Former Proteas captain Faf du Plessis has announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect.
The 36-year-old batsman announced on Wednesday that he was stepping away from the longest format of the game, following a Test career that spanned just over eight years and 69 matches for the Proteas.
He will, however, remain available for the Proteas in limited-overs cricket.
“My heart is clear, and the time is right to walk into a new chapter,” said Du Plessis. “It has been an honour to play for my country in all formats of the game, but the time has come for me to retire from Test cricket.”
Du Plessis said that with the next two years being ICC T20 World cup years, he will be shifting his focus to this format and play as much of it as possible around the world to become the best player that he can possibly be.
“I strongly believe that I have a lot to offer to the Proteas in this format,” said Du Plessis. “This does not mean that ODI cricket is no longer in my plans, I’m just making T20 cricket the priority in the short-term.”
A top-order batsman of great tenacity and determination, Faf will be remembered as one of the country’s best captains with an impressive record of 10 centuries, 21 half-centuries and 4 163 runs at an average of 40.02.
Du Plessis announced himself unequivocally in the Test format when he scored 78 and 110 not-out on debut against Australia, becoming and remaining the only South African to have scored a half-century and century on Test debut.
His match-saving 110 not out in the fourth innings of that match also remains the longest a South African has batted in the fourth innings of a Test match, at 466 minutes.
The Pretoria-born right-hander produced one of his finest innings for South Africa as recently as seven weeks ago when he scored 199 for the Proteas in the first Test against Sri Lanka at his home ground of Supersport Park, Centurion.
Issued by Cricket South Africa
