“Happy that we got Faf back”: CSK CEO welcomes Faf du Plessis back in CSK set-up; hopes for a bright future with Johannesburg Super Kings in CSA T20 league

CSK CEO welcomes Faf du Plessis again in the CSK family; reckons his experience in South African conditions as valuable in CSA T20 league.

One of the most successful Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise CSK’s parent company Chennai Super Kings Sports Limited, post placing and with it acquiring the highest bid for the Johannesburg franchise during the informal auction, has named their team as the Johannesburg Super Kings, ahead of the much-anticipated inaugural edition of Cricket South Africa’s CSA T20 League, scheduled to commence in the beginning of the next year.

In accordance with the earlier verified reports, the franchise owners on Sunday, confirmed their five signings for the maiden season, with former South African skipper and CSK mainstay batter until the 14th edition of the IPL, Faf du Plessis, roped in as the marquee player from the country.

For those unaware, as per the tournament rules, a team can sign only one capped South African player, three overseas players, and an uncapped player ahead of the players auction, scheduled to take place by the next few weeks, as per a CSA press release on Wednesday.

Thus, apart from du Plessis, the Johannesburg Super Kings have signed Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana, West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd and uncapped South Africa fast bowler Gerald Coetzee.

CSK CEO welcomes Faf du Plessis again in the CSK family

CSK CEO K.S. Viswanathan, post du Plessis’ signing, welcomed his back into the CSK family, after the franchise think-tank had decided to let-go of him from the ‘Yellow Army’ during the mega auction before this year’s edition.

Faf has been a backbone of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL for the last 10 years. He has been one of the most consistent players for our team. We were not fortunate to pick him during the last auction in the IPL. We were looking for an opportunity and that came up in the CSA T20 League. We are happy that we got Faf back with the Super Kings family. It will be a very good opportunity for Faf to come back and do as well as he did for the Chennai Super Kings. His experience as South African player and captain, knowing the conditions, will be invaluable. I’m sure that with his entry into the team, we should have a good future,” said K. S. Viswanathan, CEO of CSK Cricket Limited.

The remaining players in the squad will be picked via a formal auction, the dates for which have not been made official as yet.