Faf du Plessis has announced that he is stepping down from his role as captain of the Proteas' Test and T20 teams effective immediately.
The 35-year-old has cited a need to take a step back from captaincy, in order to help facilitate the emergence of the next generation of leaders within the team under the new stewardship of Quinton de Kock.
With a calendar that is jam-packed with international tours, both home and away, including the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia in October and November, Du Plessis said he would like to concentrate on contributing to the team as a batsman and senior player who will offer guidance and advice to the new leadership group as part of their succession planning.
Du Plessis has captained South Africa in a total of 112 international matches across all three formats since December 2012.
