Former CSK player Faf du Plessis to lead Jo'burg Super Kings; Fleming to be head coach

Faf du Plessis is all set to get reunited with his former Indian Premier League (IPL) side Chennai Super Kings (CSK). According to ESPNcricinfo, Du Plessis will lead CSK's new Johannesburg franchise in the upcoming Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 League. Du Plessis has reportedly been picked for US$375,000 to captain Johannesburg Super Kings which is slated to feature in the inaugural edition of the South African T20 League. 

Faf du Plessis to captain Johannesburg Super Kings

Du Plessis played for CSK in two stints - from 2011 to 2015 and then from 2018 to 2021. He played a crucial role for the side with the bat, helping them win two titles after his return to the side in 2018.  

According to the report, the Johannesburg franchise has also picked a couple of players from the current squad of its sister team in India. England all-rounder Moeen Ali and Sri Lankan bowler Maheesh Theekshana, who represented CSK in IPL 2022, have also been selected to play for the Jo'burg side in the brand-new league. The report claims that Moeen Ali will get $400,000 to play for Johannesburg Super Kings in the new league, while Maheesh Theekshana will get $200,000 for his services. 

It has been learnt that CSK's head coach Stephen Fleming will be the head coach at Johannesburg too. He will reportedly coach the side along with his assistant in the form of Eric Simons. As per the report, former CSK superstar Albie Morkel will also be part of the coaching staff in some form. Morkel played for CSK from 2008 to 2013 and won two titles with the team. 

CSA's T20 League

Apart from Chennai Super Kings, five other IPL franchises have bought teams in the new South African league. Mumbai Indians have already revealed the name of its Cape Town team in the South African T20 league. The five-time IPL champions on Wednesday unveiled that the name of its new team will be 'MI Cape Town'. Kolkata Knight Riders, Capri Global, GMR, Lancer Capital, and Adani Sportsline are the other entities that have purchased teams in the South African league. 

No players from India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh have been named as yet. The new South African T20 league is expected to take place from January to February 2023.

Image: IPL/BCCI