IPL 2024 is almost here as fans are currently gearing up for the season opener between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday. CSK are the defending champions and are the clear favourites as the match is also in their home venue.

Fans will also get to see RCB skipper Faf du Plessis return to Chennai. Before becoming RCB captain, the South African was with CSK and was a vital cog in MS Dhoni’s plans, having joined them in 2012. He was released by CSK ahead of the 2022 mega auction and was roped in by RCB, who made him skipper after Virat Kohli stepped down from the role.

Hailing Dhoni’s impact on his career, Du Plessis called him the ‘greatest ever captain’. Speaking to Star Sports, he said, “He (Dhoni) is the greatest ever captain, and I am very lucky that I have spent some time with him over the years. I think that’s probably the biggest thing in my career, shaped me from a leadership perspective, were my years at Chennai, just observing MS and Stephen Fleming. As a young leader, it was special to my growth.”

“As a leader that I am today. So I’m very grateful for MS and everything about his leadership because it really shaped me. When I see him, it’s like a big brother that you see, you want to beat him but you don’t really want to beat him because there’s so much respect for that.”

Faf du Plessis makes special Virat Kohli-MS Dhoni statement

Du Plessis also had made a staggering statement on Dhoni and Kohli. “But obviously when you get on the field, it’s such a great match, the RCB-Chennai match, it goes back so much with the two icons, or two of the three icons of Indian cricket. I think the reason why Chennai is so loved and followed is MS Dhoni and the reason why RCB is so loved and passionate is because of Virat Kohli so it’s special for me to have had time with both of them so I’m very lucky,” he added.

Du Plessis was pivotal to CSK’s title run in 2021, registering 633 runs. He will be hoping to replicate something similar for RCB this season.