The former South Africa captain and one of the most respected overseas players in the Indian Premier League IPL, Faf du Plessis, has announced that he will not be entering the upcoming IPL 2026 mini-auction. The 41-year-old made the revelation on social media on November 29, ending a memorable 14-year stint with the competition. Instead, du Plessis has chosen to take part in the Pakistan Super League PSL 2026.
Du Plessis first made his IPL debut in 2012, representing Chennai Super Kings CSK. In his maiden season, he scored 398 runs, and over the years, he became a crucial part of CSK's core, winning the IPL titles with the franchise in 2018 and 2021. His best performances came between 2020 and 2024, with the standout campaigns with both CSK and Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB. Notably, in the 2021 season, he narrowly missed out on the Orange Cap, finishing just two runs behind opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad.
After CSK released him ahead of the 2022 mega auction, RCB secured his services and handed him captaincy for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons. He excelled in this leadership role. In the 2023 season, du Plessis scored 730 runs in 14 matches. Ahead of the 2025 season, he joined the Delhi Capitals and managed to score just 202 runs at an average of 22.44. Across 14 IPL seasons, South Africa has played 154 matches, scoring 4,773 runs at an average of 35.09, with a strike rate of 135.78. He also recorded 39 half-centuries.