Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) former skipper Virat Kohli shared a special message to Faf Du Plessis, who have been announced as team's new captain for the upcoming IPL season which is slated to kick off from March 26. The former South African captain was picked by RCB for Rs 7 crore.
"First and foremost the most important news is that Faf Du Plessis is going to be the captain of RCB and I couldn't be happier to pass on the baton to a good friend, someone I have known well over the years. We have been in touch for many years now and he is one of the few guys that I have gotten to know little bit more apart from cricket and we get along really well. Absolutely excited for him to lead RCB and to lead this amazing franchise and to play under him. The partnership with Faf is going to be an exciting one for the RCB fans too," Virat said in a special video message.
AB de Villiers also wished Faf after he became the captain. "I am so happy for Faf Du Plessis, there was no doubt for me who was the captain when they picked Faf Du Plessis the auction," ABD commented in a video message.
RCB will start the upcoming 15th season of IPL on March 27 as they will take on Punjab Kings at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium.
Former India skipper Virat Kohli had announced last season, before the second phase of the IPL, that he will not be the captain of RCB from next season.
Previously, Kohli was the captain of RCB since 2013 but during his stint as the RCB skipper for eight years, he could not win the prestigious IPL title for the franchise. Kohli has been a part of RCB team from the inaugural edition of IPL that had taken place back in 2008.
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik were previously in contention to become the new RCB skipper but the franchise decided to appoint the former Proteas skipper as the new captain of the team.
The 37-year-old South Africa batsman has played 100 matches in IPL so far. He has scored 2,935 runs in IPL with a strike rate of 131.09 and at an average of 34.94. He has notched 22 half-centuries in his IPL career. In the previous season, he finished as the third-highest run-scorer.
