Faf du Plessis hints at calling it quits after 2019 WC

South African Test captain Faf du Plessis has hinted at calling it quits from international cricket after the conclusion of the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales. Despite thinking of retirement, Du Plessis made it pretty clear that in these two years he will continue to feature in all 3 formats of the game. He has been a fantastic middle order batsman for the Proteas across all 3 formats of the game and

South Africa have been the unluckiest side in ICC competitions and the 2019 World Cup will be Du Plessis’ last chance to win the World Cup for the first time in their history. Despite boasting some exceptional squads over the past World Cups, they failed to execute their plans in crucial junctures which cost them badly. Even in the 2015 World Cup, they were eliminated in the semi-final after losing a nail-biting thriller to New Zealand.

“I see myself heading towards the 2019 World Cup playing all formats of the game and then calling time on my career,” Du Plessis was quoted as saying by the GQ magazine. He added that most of the senior players are trying to make the 2019 World Cup their swansong. He didn’t name any names but AB de Villiers is certainly on that list.

Du Plessis was handed over the captaincy by De Villiers last summer to concentrate on the limited overs format and the World Cup. Despite conceding that South Africa misses de Villiers in the longest format, he said that the team supports his decision.

South Africa back de Villiers decision 

“I can’t sit and say he should be playing Test cricket because the guy has been doing it for 12 years and 106 Test matches. It translates to so much time away from home and people has to understand that there is a human side of the decision to consider,” du Plessis said.

“However, from a cricket point of view, I would obviously be the first to say that AB needs to play Tests for South Africa because he is one of the best batsmen in the world. For him, it’s about spending more time at home and getting to the 2019 World Cup. He wants to ensure he remains mentally fresh and his body is still going strong. I fully respect AB’s decision but I don’t agree with it.”

South Africa have recently lost a number of players to Kolpak deals which have disturbed their combination. Speaking on that aspect du Plessis said, “CSA need to be proactive by paying more and offering longer contracts. Stability is the key to success and you want to build a team that is going to take the country forward,” the South African Test captain said.