Follow UsRoyal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have appointed Faf du Plessis as their new captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Du Plessis takes over from Virat Kohli, who stepped down at the end of last season.
"I can't be happier for the team and Faf. He is a good friend and we get along very well. Looking forward to a good season," said Kohli on the new appointment.
The former South Africa captain is RCB's seventh captain after Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen, Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori, Kohli and Shane Watson. Among them, Kohli has led the franchise in 140 matches, with a win percentage of 48.16.
Du Plessis has led in T20s on 79 occasions and has won 55.76% of those matches, however, this will be the first time he will lead a team in the IPL.
Du Plessis was part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2021 that went on to win the title in the UAE. RCB bought the former South Africa captain in the IPL 2022 auction for INR 7 crore, fighting off competition from CSK and Delhi Capitals (DC).
Despite having retired from Tests in February 2021 to focus on T20s, du Plessis was not picked for the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year. His last T20I came against England in December 2020 in which he scored a fifty and his last 50-over match for his country was in the 2019 World Cup against Australia, where a smashed a century
Having made his IPL debut in 2012, du Plessis has played 100 IPL matches so far, notching up close to 3,000 runs at a strike-rate of 131.08.
RCB, who are still searching for their first title, kick start their IPL 2022 campaign on March 27 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai