Faf du Plessis is perhaps happy to play only T20 leagues: Graeme Smith

 

Former South African captain Graeme Smith reckons Faf du Plessis is perhaps happy to play only the T20 league. Faf has been in good form in the recent past but he hasn’t played for the national team. The veteran batter had last played a T20I for South Africa back in 2020 against England.

Since then he hasn’t represented the national team. The right-hander had recently led Royal Challengers Bangalore in Tata Indian Premier League 2022. The former South African captain scored 468 runs in 16 matches for RCB at an average of 31.20 and a strike rate of 127.52. He was RCB’s leading run-getter of the season and played a key role in taking them to the playoff stages.

Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis is not part of South Africa’s central contract list for the T20 World Cup.

“South Africa have got an equation where they have to figure out what their best XI is. Faf du Plessis is still fit, retired from the longer formats of the game and it’s that challenge that India doesn’t face free agents,” Smith told Star Sports on Sunday.

“Players are playing in leagues around the world. How much time can he give to South Africa in the lead-up to the World Cup? Do they pick him straight for the World Cup or should he be part of the build-up where he understands the team culture, the thinking, training, and preparing? India doesn’t face that challenge but for other nations (dealing with) free agents is a difficult one.

“We know Faf has the ability, the team has to decide how much time he needs to spend with the team.

“Maybe he is in that phase of his life where is happy to play the leagues, he is retired maybe from international cricket, maybe that’s where he wants to be,” he added.

There is no doubt that Faf du Plessis is still fit as a fiddle and he has got a lot of fuel left in his tank. However, as Faf hasn’t played international cricket for a while now, his return to South African colors looks bleak.

Furthermore, it is well known that Faf du Plessis will add a lot of strength to the South African team if he decides to make a comeback to the national squad.