In a significant setback for the Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 restart, senior batter Faf du Plessis has officially decided not to return for the remainder of the tournament. The league, which resumes on Saturday, May 17, following a suspension due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, will now continue without two key South African players in the Delhi camp.
According to Espncricinfo report, alongside Du Plessis, fellow South African Donovan Ferreira has also chosen to stay back, declining a return to India for the final leg of the season. Before the duo Australian pacer Mitchell Starc decided against travelling to India for the remaining IPL 2025 fixtures as he opted to concentrated towards upcoming World Test Championship.
Du Plessis performance in IPL 2025
Du Plessis, who began the season with promise as vice-captain under Axar Patel, had been sidelined due to an undisclosed injury. Neither the franchise nor the player provided details regarding the nature or extent of the injury.
During the course of the tournament the veteran batter scored two half-centuries in six innings with a total of 168 runs at an average of 28.00. On the other hand, Ferreira played just one game, where he came in as an Impact Player and scored 1.
Delhi Capitals lack overseas experience
With du Plessis, Ferrara and Starc and Jake Fraser-McGurk opted out DC is facing lack of depth in overseas department. There is a bit of uncertainty around Fraser-McGurk's replacement Mustafizur Rahman's availability due to confusion over obtaining No Objection Certificate. The pacer is in Sharjah currently to play in a T20I series against UAE.
Tristan Stubbs, will be only for the rest of the league phase, after which he would be leaving for the WTC final. The current stage, the only overseas players DC have, apart from Stubbs for the league phase, are Sediqullah Atal, who had replaced Harry Brook after the latter opted out of the tournament, and Dushmantha Chameera.
