Happy Birthday, Faf du Plessis: A Tribute To Relentless Warrior Who Redefined South African Cricket
1 / 10
Happy Birthday to Faf du Plessis, one of South Africa's most respected cricketers and modern-day greats. Born on 13 July 1984, Faf's journey from a middle-order batter to a dynamic leader is truly inspiring. A Memorable International Debut
2 / 10
Faf made his ODI debut in 2011 and quickly became a vital part of South Africa's core. His Test debut in 2012 was iconic, scoring a match-saving 110* against Australia in Adelaide, a knock that announced his arrival on the world stage. Consistency Across Formats
3 / 10
Du Plessis remains South Africa's first player to score centuries in all three formats. His aggressive T20 century (119 off 56 balls) and consistent Test knocks proved his versatility and mental strength under pressure. Mr. Dependable in Tests
4 / 10
From his 199 vs Sri Lanka to multiple gritty innings against India and Australia, Faf's 4,163 Test runs speak volumes. His ability to anchor or accelerate made him a pillar of South Africa's batting lineup. Captain Courageous
5 / 10
As South African captain (2016–2020), Faf led from the front. He masterminded the 5-0 whitewash of Australia in ODIs and earned series wins in Australia and New Zealand, a rare feat for visiting sides. Unmatched IPL Presence
6 / 10
Faf has been a force in the IPL, scoring over 3,400 runs, winning titles with Chennai Super Kings, and leading Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2022. He's the first batter to score 50+ against all 10 franchises. Fielding Excellence & Athleticism
7 / 10
Apart from batting, Faf's fielding has always turned heads. Known for his quick reflexes, safe hands, and electric run-outs, he has often been compared to the likes of Jonty Rhodes for his brilliance in the field. Personal Integrity & Leadership
8 / 10
Faf is admired for his honesty and calm demeanor. His autobiography, "Faf Through Fire", revealed his struggles, leadership challenges, and his commitment to team culture and mental health awareness. Off-Field Contributions
9 / 10
Beyond cricket, he supported COVID-19 relief, advocated for racial equality, and promoted youth cricket in South Africa. Faf has proven that true leaders make an impact both on and off the field. A Career Worth Celebrating
10 / 10
With 11,198 international runs, leadership milestones, and an ever-growing fan base, Faf du Plessis has carved a legendary legacy. Here's to more success, happiness, and cricket memories. Happy Birthday, Faf!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
a minute ago
- Hans India
Mohammed Shami included in Bengal's probables list for upcoming domestic season
New Delhi: India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been included in Bengal's 50-man probables list for the upcoming 2025-26 domestic season after being left out of India's squad for the ongoing tour of England due to injury concerns. The 34-year-old has not played any competitive cricket since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, where he represented Sunrisers Hyderabad but was far from his level best and his last outing for India was in the 2025 Champions Trophy winning campaign, where he was tied with Varun Chakaravarthy as the side's highest wicket-taker, with joint nine scalps to their names. Shami's injury concerns first arose after India's 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, where he ended as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 24 dismissals, as he underwent ankle surgery. Shami marked a successful return to competitive cricket, leading Bengal to an 11-run victory against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy. Shami took seven wickets in the match and scored a crucial 37 runs, proving instrumental in Bengal's win. The 34-year-old made a successful international return when featuring in the four white-ball fixtures for India against England in 2024. Shami was not selected for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series squad after chief selector Ajit Agarkar cleared the air by stating that he was not fit for the series, leaving a big void in India's fast bowling scheme of things in England. Shami's last Test was the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June 2023 and he hasn't had a chance to play Tests again. Agarkar revealed, while announcing the squad for England, that Shami's fitness issues and inability to be fit for the Test match bowling workload meant he missed out on selection. Abhimanyu Easwaran, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Abishek Porel are a few of the names in the 50-man probables list released by Bengal.
New Indian Express
9 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Ruturaj Gaikwad opts out of deal with Yorkshire due to personal reasons
LONDON: India middle-order batter Ruturaj Gaikwad has opted out of the final part of the County Championship for Yorkshire citing "personal reasons". The 28-year-old had agreed to a five-game deal, starting with the match against reigning champions Surrey at Scarborough from July 22. But Yorkshire confirmed in a statement that Gaikwad would not be available. Gaikwad was due to debut at North Marine Road on Tuesday against the reigning champions and remain with Yorkshire until the end of the season. Yorkshire head coach Anthony McGrath said the county are assessing their options regarding a replacement, but there are other things to contend with as well ahead of the 10th round clash. "Unfortunately Gaikwad's not coming now for personal reasons," said McGrath. "We're not going to have him for Scarborough or for the rest of the season. So that's disappointing. I can't tell you anything about the reasons why, but we hope that everything's ok. We've literally just found out. "We're working behind the scenes on what we can do. But it's only two or three days away, so I'm not sure what we can do at the moment. We're working to try and get a possible replacement, but time pressure is the issue. I can't give you anything more than that at the moment." Gaikwad, who captains Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League and Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy, has played six ODIs and 23 T20s. But he just played five games in this year's IPL after suffering an elbow injury.
New Indian Express
9 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Will IPL money via The Hundred route rescue financially struggling county cricket clubs?
MANCHESTER: Will the investment by IPL owners in The Hundred competition ease the financial struggles of the majority of 18 county clubs in England? It is a "make or break" question facing the struggling clubs in the county circuit right now. According to the recently-released Leonard Curtis Cricket Finance Report, the gap between the top clubs and the smaller ones is widening with the big three -- Surrey, Lancashire and Warwickshire -- generating 44 per cent of the total revenue of all 18 first-class counties in 2023. The smaller clubs like Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire are hugely reliant on the funding from the parent body -- the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The sale of equity in the eight franchises of The Hundred is expected to raise approximately 520 million pounds, a part of which would be shared with the county clubs. The ECB decided to sell stakes of the eight franchises ahead of The Hundred's fifth season that begins on August 5, day after the conclusion of the Test series between India and England. Four out of the eight teams have attracted investments from IPL franchise owners connected to Mumbai Indians (49 per cent of Oval Invincibles), Sunrisers Hyderabad (100 per cent of Northern Supercharges), Delhi Capitals (49 per cent of Southern Brave) and Lucknow Super Giants (70 per cent of Manchester Originals). The other four teams -- Welsh Fire, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets -- have drawn huge sums from American investors.
