“Nice kit, back in yellow for me" - Faf du Plessis ahead of Joburg Super Kings' SA20 opener 

Joburg Super Kings skipper Faf du Plessis has expressed his delight at the prospect of being back in yellow ahead of the inaugural edition of the SA20.

The former South African skipper spent a decade with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). CSK claimed a major stake in South Africa's premier T20 league by winning a bid for the Johannesburg-based franchise.

Du Plessis, who now represents Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL after he was released by the four-time champions, was roped in by the Joburg Super Kings as a preliminary signing prior to the auction.

The franchise's first set of signings apart from Du Plessis included Maheesh Theeksana, Romario Shepherd, and Gerard Coetzee. They had secured the services of England all-rounder Moeen Ali as well, but he opted to skip the tournament for the inaugural edition of ILT20 which will be held simultaneously with the SA20 in the January-February window in 2023.

Speaking about being back in yellow, a color that is an identity in itself for the Super Kings unit, Du Plessis said ahead of the league's commencement:

“Nice kit, back in yellow for me. A team that I played for a long time in the IPL. And I think, all of us are excited about a new tournament starting in South Africa."

He continued:

“It’s an opportunity for the young South African players to rub shoulders with the likes of Stephen Fleming, Eric Simmons, up there with the best coaches in the game. In terms of fast-tracking talents and people’s brains, there’s no better opportunity for that."

The Men in Yellow forged the rest of the squad at the auction, buying notable international talents like Alzarri Joseph, Harry Brook, Jaaneman Malan, and Reeza Hendricks among other players.

While Harry Brook has been pulled out of the tournament by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), citing workload concerns, they have roped in Aaron Phangsio as a wildcard pick.

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"I feel very lucky to be a part of this team" - Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis will feel right at home with the franchise due to the presence of CSK coaching stalwarts Stephen Fleming and Eric Simmons.

Stating that he expects no pressure from the management at all, having already experienced it firsthand from his monumental stint with CSK, Du Plessis said:

“I’ve seen first-hand how good they are as a management group, and how good the franchise is. So, it’s a pleasure to play for a team like that. So, as a player, you just feel like going out there and doing your best. There’s no pressure on you from the management so it’s a very easy team to play for. I feel very lucky to be a part of this team."

The Du Plessis-led Joburg Super Kings are scheduled to face Durban's Super Giants on Wednesday, January 11, at Kingsmead to get their tournament underway.

SA20 will kick-start with a derby clash between MI Cape Town and the Paarl Royals on Tuesday, January 10.

Who will win the inaugural edition of SA20? Let us know what you think.

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