Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis recently reflected on the valuable lessons he gained during his time with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Du Plessis, who was part of the CSK squad for 11 seasons from 2011 to 2021, played pivotal roles in numerous memorable innings for the team.

Recalling the successful phase during which he contributed to two IPL triumphs, du Plessis expressed gratitude for being part of the CSK dressing room as a young player under the leadership of captain MS Dhoni and head coach Stephen Fleming. He acknowledged that observing and learning from these seasoned leaders was a significant learning curve in his early journey.

“Firstly, it was great to be part of that dressing room as a young guy. Probably my biggest learning curve was being fortunate enough to be there under Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni really at the start of my initial journey. Just to see the big guns do things, it was great to learn from them. During my first season, I was just sitting and asking questions and observing them,” mentioned Faf du Plessis in a statement to IndiaToday.

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Faf du Plessis went on to praise Dhoni’s calm demeanor under pressure, emphasizing the positive impact it had on the team’s bowling attack. Highlighting Dhoni’s reputation as “Captain Cool,” du Plessis stressed the importance of remaining relaxed, especially when the stakes are high, as it significantly benefits the team, particularly the bowlers.

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

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

Notably, Faf du Plessis recalled some remarkable innings during his IPL career with CSK, including a crucial knock of 67 (42) in the Qualifier 1 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he played a pivotal role in chasing down a target of 140 with CSK at 62/6.

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Another memorable performance came in the IPL 2021 final, where du Plessis scored an unbeaten 86 (59) against Kolkata Knight Riders, earning him the Player of the Match award. Looking ahead, du Plessis is set to lead the Joburg Super Kings in SA20 2024, with their campaign kicking off against defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape on January 10, 2024.