Du Plessis mulls post-WC retirement

South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis has hinted that he may retire from international cricket following the next World Cup, while he also revealed he disagrees with teammate AB de Villiers' decision to take an extended break from Test cricket.

Du Plessis, captain of the Proteas’ Test and T20I teams, stated he intends to continue playing all three formats until the 2019 tournament in the United Kingdom, but believes the time will then be right – both for him and for a number of his senior teammates - to call time on playing for his country.

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"I see myself heading towards the 2019 World Cup playing all formats of the game and then calling time on my career," du Plessis said in an interview with GQ Magazine.

South Africa have never made the final of a World Cup, coming heartbreakingly close on a number of occasions, including three semi-final defeats.

Du Plessis did not name which of his Proteas teammates might follow him into retirement after the tournament, to be played in England and Wales, but ODI captain AB de Villiers is likely to be thinking along the same lines.

De Villiers handed over the Test reins to Du Plessis last year and is currently on hiatus from the longest form of the game following a tough run of injuries in 2016.

Last August he admitted he was battling "five or six niggles" before an elbow injury ruled him out of Test series against New Zealand at home and the Test series win in Australia.

While he returned to limited-overs international cricket in February, de Villiers ruled himself out of the March Test series in New Zealand – an absence he has since extended to the four-Test tour of England in July-August and the succeeding two Tests against Bangladesh.

"I can't sit and say he should be playing Test cricket because the guy has been doing it for 12 years and 106 Test matches,” du Plessis said.

“It translates to so much time away from home and people have to understand that there is a human side of the decision to consider.

"However, from a cricket point of view, I would obviously be the first to say that AB needs to play Tests for South Africa because he is one of the best batsmen in the world.

“For him, it's about spending more time at home and getting to the 2019 World Cup.

“He wants to ensure he remains mentally fresh and his body is still going strong. I fully respect AB's decision but I don't agree with it."

Last week, Australia great Mike Hussey said he would be "surprised" if AB de Villiers played Test cricket again.

"If I’m being honest I’d be surprised if he keeps playing (Tests) due to the toll Test cricket takes on your body," Hussey told cricket.com.au.

"Body-wise he has back problems plus he’s had this elbow injury that kept him out for a long time.

"I think he’ll really try and focus on the shorter formats of the game."

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De Villiers will lead the Proteas in next month’s Champions Trophy in England hell bent on shaking his nation’s reputation as ‘chokers’ by winning South Africa’s first piece of limited-overs silverware since the ICC KnockOut Trophy in 1998.

"I caught up with him while I was in India (commentating the IPL) and he’s desperate to win a tournament with South Africa in one-day cricket," Hussey said.

"He thinks they can win a World Cup, so this is like a mini-World Cup and it’s what’s driving him in his cricket career at the moment.

"When you’ve got such a quality player that’s highly motivated, personally and for the team, then that’s a pretty dangerous combination for the opposition."

South Africa fine tune their Champions Trophy preparation with a three-match ODI series against tournament hosts England, starting at Lord’s on 24 May. 

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy squad named so far

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh.

Group B: India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan.

Schedule

Warm-up matches

26 May – Australia v Sri Lanka, The Oval

27 May – Bangladesh v Pakistan, Edgbaston

28 May – India v New Zealand, The Oval

29 May – Australia v Pakistan, Edgbaston

30 May – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Edgbaston

30 May – Bangladesh vs India, The Oval

Tournament

1 June – England v Bangladesh, The Oval (Day)

2 June – Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (D)

3 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (D)

4 June – India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (D)

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (D/N)

6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D)

7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N)

8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D)

9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D)

10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D)

11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D)

12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)

14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)