Delhi Capitals (DC) vice-captain Faf du Plessis has hinted that he won’t be able to take further part in the first half of IPL 2025 season after aggravating his unspecified injury by fielding in the last match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Du Plessis revealed that the DC management had offered him the chance to play as a specialist batter via the Impact Player rule but he wanted to field as well, a decision he now regrets.

The former South African skipper missed out on DC’s second match of the season against Chennai Super Kings, with captain Axar Patel confirming that he wasn’t fit. He came back for the next fixture against RCB but has been again ruled out of the ongoing game against Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

“Unfortunately, my nature… the boys offered me the chance to play as an impact batsman in the last game but the competent in me wanted to field as well and I regret that decision standing here right now. Unfortunately, today, I’m not wearing the spikes," Du Plessis told the broadcasters ahead of the match in Delhi.

“I have been really lucky in the last 3 years. I pride myself on finishing competitions and not missing out through injury. This is new ground for me where you are trying to be 100% fit but you are not quite there. The competent in you want to get back as soon as possible but playing the patient game. Hopefully, I get that right in the next week and get ready for the back end of the tournament," he added.

Faf du Plessis is a key batter for the Capitals at the top of the order. With him set to miss the next few games, the franchise might go back to using KL Rahul at the top of the order.

Rahul has been in fine form despite shuffling his spot between opening and middle-order, scoring 185 runs in three innings at an average of 92.50 and a strike rate of 169.72.

DC’s playing XI against MI: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (WK), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (C), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav and Mukesh Kumar