South African cricketer Faf du Plessis has announced his retirement from Test cricket. He will still be available to play for South Africa in limited-overs cricket, however.
The 36-year-old Du Plessis, who has played 69 Tests for South Africa, said he was planning on focusing on T20 international cricket, with two World Cups in the format in the near future.
In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Du Plessis said: ‘I stand in a place of utmost gratitude for a Test career full of blessings bestowed on me. Every high and low has shaped me into the man I am proud to stand up as today. In all things, those instances worked towards the good of who I believe I am today.’
The statement also quoted Du Plessis as saying that playing for South Africa in Tests had been a privilege but that it was time to move on from the format.
Du Plessis made his Test debut in Adelaide in 2012, where he scored a hundred, helping South Africa to draw the match. The national team went on to win the series, their second consecutive Test win in Australia.
In his 69 matches, he scored just over 4 000 runs, with an average of 40 and a high score of 199. He also captained the Proteas in 36 matches (second only to Graeme Smith and Hansie Cronje), leading South Africa to wins in 18 of those matches.
In addition, Du Plessis has played 143 ODIs and 50 T20Is.
[Image: Detail from photograph by Lisa scott from Pixabay]