Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Faf du Plessis, who now plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has once again joined the CSK camp, albeit in the CSA T20 League, in which CSK management own a franchise.
The former South Africa captain has been signed as their marquee signing for the Cricket South Africa (CSA) league, which will begin in January 2023. The CSK management owns the Johannesburg franchise in the league.
Bound by a confidentiality clause, the six franchises, all owned by the IPL teams, refused to disclose their star signings, but Cricbuzz confirmed that Faf du Plessis, a former CSK regular, is back with his old team.
Du Plessis represented CSK from 2011 to 2021, except in 2016 and 2017, when the franchise was suspended. CSK could not retain him in the 2022 auction, where he was bought by Royals Challengers Bangalore and was named their captain too.
The CSA league, yet to be formally named, has asked the franchises to submit a list of five players under the overriding principle of one South African, three foreigners with not more than two from the same country, and one uncapped player.
Cricbuzz also reported that Moeen Ali has been signed by the CSK-owned franchise team in CSA T20 League. Moeen featured in the marquee players list of the UAE League (ILT20) too but the English all-rounder, who represents CSK in the IPL, is understood to have preferred the South Africa tournament, to be held alongside the ILT20 in January-February.
It can be further confirmed that the Pretoria and Port Elizabeth teams, owned by Delhi Capitals and SunRisers Hyderabad, have retained their South African players on the IPL roster - Anrich Nortje and Aiden Markram - respectively.
The Paarl franchise, owned by Rajasthan Royals has retained their IPL star recruit, Jos Buttler. Sanjiv Goenka's Lucknow Super Giants management, having bought the Durban team, has, unsurprisingly, kept Quinton de Kock.
It has also been reported that Mumbai Indians-owned MI Cape Town franchise has signed big names like Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada, and Rashid Khan.
(Cricbuzz report)
