Faf du Plessis opens up on his bond with MS Dhoni: Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore will face off in the first match of IPL 2024 on March 22 in Chennai. The rivalry between these two popular IPL teams will reignite, sparking banter on social media.
However, amidst the competition, the camaraderie between players from both sides will be a heartwarming aspect of the opening match. Ahead of the game, RCB captain Faf du Plessis praised MS Dhoni, emphasizing the influence Dhoni has had on his career.
Faf du Plessis Made A Confession Ahead Of IPL 2024 Opener
Before becoming the captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Faf du Plessis played a vital role for the Chennai Super Kings. Known for his batting skills, Du Plessis was a key player for CSK, especially under the leadership of MS Dhoni. He joined CSK in 2012 and remained with the team until 2021, playing 92 matches and scoring over 2700 runs. His contribution of 633 runs was significant in CSK’s successful campaign in 2021.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Star Sports before the IPL 2024 season, Faf du Plessis highlighted the influence MS Dhoni had on his leadership skills. Du Plessis also mentioned that his stint with the Super Kings played a significant role in his growth as a leader, which eventually led to him captaining South Africa in international cricket. This experience likely contributed to him being chosen as the successor to Virat Kohli at RCB. He said:
“He (Dhoni) is the greatest ever captain, and I am very lucky that I have spent some time with him over the years. I think that’s probably the biggest thing in my career, shaped me from a leadership perspective, were my years at Chennai, just observing MS and Stephen Fleming. As a young leader, it was special to my growth,”
He added: “As a leader that I am today. So I’m very grateful for MS and everything about his leadership because it really shaped me. When I see him, it’s like a big brother that you see, you want to beat him but you don’t really want to beat him because there’s so much respect for that.”
“But obviously when you get on the field, it’s such a great match, the RCB-Chennai match, it goes back so much with the two icons, or two of the three icons of Indian cricket. I think the reason why Chennai is so loved and followed is MS Dhoni and the reason why RCB is so loved and passionate is because of Virat Kohli so it’s special for me to have had time with both of them so I’m very lucky,”
Faf du Plessis, who faced challenges in the SA20 league while captaining Jo’Burg Super Kings, has joined RCB camp in Bengaluru. He has been sweating it out ahead of the IPL 2024 opener.
