Faf du Plessis will eventually have surgery after suffering from a tennis elbow ailment for about two years. The South African had been utilizing cortisone injections as a temporary fix during this time, but it appears that things have advanced to the point where a long-term fix is preferred.
The 39-year-old had to abandon the current Caribbean Premier League season midway due to his desire to get surgery, even though his side, the St. Lucia Kings, was leading the points standings at the time. With Du Plessis scoring 112 runs in three innings, the team has five games with two wins, a defeat, and two no-results.
At the post-game press conference for St. Lucia Kings’ most recent game, du Plessis said, “Happily with the results but obviously sorry [that] I’m leaving at a vital stage in the tournament when you feel like the team can start doing some really fantastic things in the tournament.
“For me, the problem with the elbow is that I’ve had eight cortisone injections into my elbow and played tennis with it (tennis elbow) for about two years. I’ve reached a point where cortisone is no longer healthy for my body, therefore surgery is always a last resort. Although I don’t want to do it, I suddenly have time for myself. I essentially need to travel from here to the hospital to have the procedure.
Du Plessis’ recent comeback in T20 cricket has included a focus on the PowerPlay in the shortest format. Du Plessis has been dominant in the first six overs of the inning, regardless of the competition, whether it is in the SA20, the current CPL, or the Indian Premier League. However, the elbow injury has affected his ability to play.
Du Plessis stated, “[During] the recent time I did feel a little loss of power – all because of the pain, which sometimes pulls the power back.” So you simply have to play a game where you feel like hitting at 80% power, and you can time the ball on fields like this (in the CPL) that are a little bit smaller.
Due to Du Plessis’ departure, Sikandar Raza will serve as the St. Lucia Kings’ new captain for the balance of the year. Losing a captain and a major player is never ideal for any team, but Du Plessis asserted that the team had enough leaders to handle the situation and backed Raza.
“Raza has experience playing both T20 and T10 cricket. It’s fantastic to have those guys on the pitch and able to ask questions since that person is really knowledgeable and experienced. Obviously, there has been a shift, and you could even argue that it has been a significant change because someone is now filling the St. Lucia Kings’ shoes for the first time. But fortunately, we have Sammy there who will make sure that there is some guidance from his side for the first one or two games. Trust the person on the pitch to use the tools at his disposal after that.
“For me, it’s always about enticing others to join the adventure and attempting to elicit questions. And in my opinion, that’s the finest way to conduct business, said du Plessis. “You make use of your available resources. Roston Chase has performed admirably. On the pitch, my interactions with him consisted of simple conversation and questioning about local players. Johnson Charles has excellent cricket knowledge. He is a terrific thinker but doesn’t speak much.
