Faf du Plessis as a captain is tactically very astute: Karthik

For the longest time in the Indian Premier League, Faf du Plessis was a one-franchise man, turning day in and day out for the Chennai Super Kings. However, his allegiance with the Super Kings came to an end after the 2021 season, with Royal Challengers Bangalore winning the big bid for the former South African skipper. 

In the build-up to the season opener, the franchise announced the 37-year-old as the new skipper of the franchise, after Virat Kohli stepped down from the position. RCB’s new recruit Dinesh Karthik opined on the South African, calling him a “tactically astute” captain. 

“When he was a leader of South Africa, I've seen that he's tactically very astute. He's somebody who knows his game very well. In IPL, at the end of the day, you need tactically very good captain,” Karthik told RCB. 

“I think he (Faf) is second-to-none. Leadership is about handling people and everybody will vouch for the fact that he's a terrific guy,” he added on Faf’s leadership abilities. 

While there was a section of people who doubted the South African’s abilities, he has time and again shown the game in the shortest format to silence the critics. Karthik underlined that Faf’s empathy will have a positive effect on the franchise in the upcoming season of the tournament. 

“As a player, he is somebody who has maximised his potential and that's always a good sign for a leader, because they will have a lot empathy, they will understand what a cricketer might be going through. That's very important of a leader. I've also played against him,” said Karthik.

RCB open their season, against Punjab Kings, on March 27 (Sunday), in Navi Mumbai.