Faf Du Plessis: As a batsman I try and share as much of my experience and learning’s around the game

Faf Du Plessis, the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has said that his role in the side is two-fold, sharing his experiences as a senior batter with youngsters and being a father figure to the side, especially its young players, as a captain.

Faf Du Plessis, the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has said that his role in the side is two-fold, sharing his experiences as a senior batter with youngsters and being a father figure to the side, especially its young players, as a captain. 

RCB skipper Faf du Plessis is leading the team by example and is at the top of the batting charts with 702 runs and eight half-centuries in 13 games. The young RCB team, which is in the running for the playoffs, has been set off by the captain’s aggressive approach.

Du Plessis, who joined Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2022, has been embracing his diverse role as a mentor and a leader for the squad this season. He also showed his excellent batting skills with an impressive strike of 153.95.  

In the latest episode of RCB Bold Diaries, Du Plessis expressed his feelings about how he has taken on the responsibility of developing the team’s younger players while playing as a role model as captain.

“My role is two-fold, as a batsman I try and share as much of my experience and learning’s around the game, especially, around the mental aspect of batting. As a young player, I felt like possibly I didn’t have that information as well as I would have liked. Then obviously as a captain, there is a role of being the father figure, a supportive role of encouraging them through what are the early stages of their careers. As a captain, it is very important for the young guys to feel that no matter who you are, what you have done, where you come from and how old you are, there is real backing for you,”

stated Faf du Plessis as quoted by an RCB press release.

The veteran batter has constantly taken risks and displayed class in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Mahipal Lomror, a young all-rounder for the RCB, praised the skipper profusely and discussed how he serves as an inspiration for the entire squad.

“He keeps himself really calm. He is really clear in his decisions as well and he supports everyone in the team. The way he is running between the wickets, the way he has been fielding and the way he is playing long innings for the team deserves respect,”

said Lomror.

All-rounder Michael Bracewell, the newest addition to the RCB this season, revealed how he has been captivated by Faf’s exceptional work ethic and fitness levels.

“Faf is a great leader. He is very kind and considerate and knows how to get the best out of the players. He has been unbelievable this year, scoring runs at every venue that we have been to it has been incredible. He is a supreme athlete at 38 and he just keeps going. It is brilliant to watch,”

commented Bracewell.

Mohammed Siraj, the star pacer for RCB, who has picked up 17 wickets this season, also expressed admiration for Faf’s commitment to hard work in the gym and during practice sessions.

“We get inspired by the way he works out in the gym, the way he practices. Faf is good looking and even at this age, his dressing sense, his fitness is unbelievable,”

remarked Siraj.

Similarly, bowler Akash Deep has been equally fascinated by the skipper’s unique qualities that set him apart from the rest.

“He has a lot of experience and understands the ground conditions, keeping things very simple. He explains very clearly what needs to be done and it is a lot of fun playing with him. The amount of energy and fitness that he has on the ground is unbelievable,”

expressed Akash Deep.

RCB currently holds the fourth position in the IPL 2023 point’s standings with 14 points after winning seven and losing six matches. On Sunday, they will play the Gujarat Titans in their final league game. Their chances of making the playoffs will increase if they win this game. 

All they could do is hope Mumbai Indians (MI) loses its last league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad or wins it by a margin that does not cause a huge change in net-run rate.