Faf du Plessis Reveals MS Dhoni's Superpower: "That's Something I Want To Take From Him"

File image of Faf du Plessis with MS Dhoni© X (Formerly Twitter)

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis recently shared his experience of working with legendary wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Du Plessis, who has played 154 IPL matches and scored 4,773 runs, spent nine seasons with CSK before moving to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2022. During his stint with the Chennai-based franchise, he won three IPL titles and enjoyed significant success under Dhoni's leadership. Reflecting on his time with the former India captain, the Proteas star revealed the unique tactics and leadership style that set Dhoni apart from other captains.

Speaking on the Prakhar Gupta Podcast, Du Plessis said that Dhoni rarely relied on pre-match plans and instead preferred to trust his instincts, making decisions based on the situation unfolding on the field.

"This guy has an incredible understanding of the game on the field. He doesn't like to plan too much beforehand and prefers to be instinctive during the match. That was his superpower. He would read the game and the players while staying remarkably calm, as everyone knows he is a very composed person. That's something I want to take from him and apply to my own captaincy," said Faf.

Earlier, du Plessis also recalled how Steve Smith's handling of the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering controversy reminded him of his own experience two years earlier, prompting him to reach out to his Australian counterpart with a message of support during one of the most difficult periods of his career.

Du Plessis said he empathised with Smith after the latter accepted responsibility for the incident during the Test series against South Africa, even as the controversy triggered widespread criticism.

"Steve came out at the end of the day (in Cape Town in 2018) saying: 'I take responsibility.' And we were like: 'Why are you taking responsibility? You did nothing wrong,'" du Plessis recalled while speaking to Cricinfo.

Smith was subsequently banned for one Test by the ICC, while Cricket Australia imposed a 12-month suspension on him and David Warner, with Cameron Bancroft receiving a nine-month ban. The scandal erupted after Bancroft was caught attempting to alter the ball's condition using sandpaper during the Cape Town Test.

(With IANS Inputs)

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