Why is Faf du Plessis not playing in IPL 2026? The former South Africa captain has retired from the Indian Premier League and will no longer be a part of the tournament.
As the new edition of the IPL is set to begin on March 26, one question which is trending is, why is Faf du Plessis not playing in IPL 2026? The reason is that the veteran announced his retirement from the tournament before the auction and did not registered his name.
“After 14 seasons in the IPL, I’ve decided not to put my name into the auction this year. It’s a big decision, and one that comes with a lot of gratitude when I look back,” faf du Plessis wrote in a statement.
Instead, he chose to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Faf wanted to try something new and improve as a player. He also wanted to experience a new country and a new environment.
But after suffering a ligament tear in his right thumb during SA20 2025, he was ruled out for the rest of the season and was also ruled out of PSL 2026.
In the previous season, while playing for Delhi Capitals, Faf du Plessis did not have a good run. He scored 202 runs in nine innings at an average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 123.92. He was later released by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
Faf du Plessis has been one of the best batters in the IPL. He made his debut in 2012 and played until 2025. He represented four teams in the IPL: Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Delhi Capitals.
In 154 matches, Faf scored 4773 runs at an average of 35.09 and a strike rate of 135.78, including 39 half centuries, with a best score of 96. His best season with the bat came in 2021 for Chennai Super Kings, when he scored 633 runs, and in 2023 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, when he scored 730 runs. In nine IPL seasons, he scored more than 300 runs in the tournament.
While playing for Chennai Super Kings, he won the IPL twice in 2018 and 2021. As of now, he is the fourth highest run scorer among overseas players in the IPL.
Even though Faf du Plessis has retired from the IPL, he still plays in other franchise leagues. In SA20, he represents Joburg Super Kings, and in Major League Cricket, he plays for Texas Super Kings.
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