Faf du Plessis fires shots at CSA blames Mark Boucher for relationship breakdown and Test retirement

Former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis has fired shots at Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Mark Boucher after he opened on the incident that led to his Test retirement. According to Du Plessis he lacked the support of Graeme Smith during his stint as the skipper while dropping Temba Bavuma from the Test squad and an unfortunate incident against Pakistan in a Test match paved way for him to retire. All these moments have been reflected in du Plessis’ new book ‘The Ghosts of Insecurity.’

“I needed someone to back me up in the media, and Graeme and Mark were best positioned to clear the air and show public support for their national captain who was dealing with head- and tailwinds simultaneously. When Mark attended a press conference while this storm was raging, he didn’t do that,” du Plessis wrote in his book ‘The Ghosts of Insecurity.’

“Dealing with CSA during this time was like being in a relationship with someone who doesn’t value you as much as you value them. That complicated matters, and I had to work much harder than should have been necessary to get them to communicate efficiently,” he wrote while he fired shots at Cricket South Africa (CSA).

What was the controversy that sparked the brawl?

After the Covid-19 pandemic South Africa were playing Pakistan in the first Test of the three-match series when the du Plessis was asked to come out to bat, instead of Nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj which resulted in a big brawl with the coach.

It was on the third day, with South Africa having built up a slim lead in the second innings after having conceded a 158-run first-innings deficit. The day’s play was drawing to a close and Keshav Maharaj was padded up as nightwatch. The South African team had an unsaid rule, du Plessis writes, that they would send a nightwatch in if a wicket fell within 30 minutes or seven overs of play left in the day.

But Boucher, he writes, told Maharaj he would not be needed because a nightwatch only goes out 15 minutes ahead of the close. Du Plessis, who says he told Boucher about the 30 minute precedent, had to get ready to bat and go out when Rassie van der Dussen was dismissed 25 minutes before the end of the day. Du Plessis lasted 20 minutes and was dismissed with five minutes left to play.

Du Plessis is now serving as the skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and helped the team reach the playoffs in the 2022 season. He was also the second-highest scorer in the IPL 2021, the same year he announced his retirement from Test cricket.

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