When the six SA20 captains arrived at the trophy photo shoot earlier this week at the Sea Point public pool in Cape Town, Faf du Plessis emerged with a freshly-trimmed buzz cut.

Gone was the finely manicured fringe that had been his trademark for so many years.

It’s part of him embracing a new phase of life that he’s entered.

“Forty is the new 30,” Du Plessis beamed. “But then you get some 40-year-olds… and then some 40-year-olds.”

Du Plessis has always been the prototype of fitness and style. He has never shied away from doing the physical work in the gym, and always been one of the fastest and strongest players on the field.

It was only a couple of weeks ago that videos emerged on social media showing the Joburg Super Kings skipper training as hard as he has ever done. The results were staggering.

Considering Du Plessis has a young family, and no longer plays international cricket, how does he formulate a schedule to stay in optimum physical shape?

Joburg Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis speaks to the press, including Independent Media’s Zaahier Adams (white shirt), during the SA20 briefing in Cape Town. Photo: Sportzpics

“Old is gold,” he chirped. “For me, at my age, I still feel exactly the same. How long I can go for? I can’t give you the answer. I thought I’d be done by now.

“For me, it’s just a case of being true to myself and where I am in my career.

“How hungry am I still to play the game? Right now, I’m still extremely hungry to do what I’ve been doing for the last few years.

“Body is still feeling really good, and my mind is fresh. Imran Tahir is setting a standard there for the ‘Gandalf’ of the tournament. With this format now, you can push yourself certainly a lot more.”

The greater challenge arguably for Du Plessis is how he balances his commitments all around the world while raising a young family.

Equally, how does he prioritise which tournaments to play, considering the explosion of T20 opportunities for a freelancer?

“I think for me, it’s about understanding you are playing enough cricket to be at that level. When you compare it to international cricket, you are playing all the time,” he said.

“So, when you are moving away and into ‘circuit life’, it’s about creating that balance.

“For some guys, there is the urge to play in all the tournaments because there is the financial benefit to that. But for me, that’s not the case.

“It is about making sure you have those breaks to stay mentally fresh.

“I look at the season over a 12-month period, and play enough cricket to maintain the freshness so that when you get to the age that I am now, you don’t lose the hunger and desire to play.”

This is the sport we all love. 💛
This is the sport that has given us everything & now it’s time to give it back to cricket! 🏏🥳

Here’s captain Faf kicking off #ThankYouCricket! 💪

Nominating @mcjnicholas @GraemeSmith49 @D_Conway88

Waiting to hear from you! 🤩@faf1307… pic.twitter.com/1BdTPvDMKn
— Joburg Super Kings (@JSKSA20) January 10, 2025

The Joburg Super Kings have certainly banked on experience for Season 3, with fellow veterans such as Tahir, Moeen Ali, David Wiese and Jonny Bairstow all teaming up at the Bullring.

Du Plessis, though, feels there is also a sprinkling of youth that will provide the energy.

“If you look at the IPLs and T20 comps around the world, I found there was a phase initially when people went to the young guys, but then there was almost a switch back to the experience,” he said.

“You see a lot of experience being recruited, but with that, it’s important to have that youth – and why we have a rookie in every squad and for any young player stepping out of school.

“We have a guy, JP King, in our squad, and when I first met him, he said, ‘Hello, Oom Faf’. That’s not that great!

6️⃣0️⃣ secs of JP King unfiltered! 🦁📹#WhistleforJoburg #ToJoburgWeBelong #SA20 pic.twitter.com/JqBCYoPVgb
— Joburg Super Kings (@JSKSA20) January 10, 2025

“But it’s great. You’re mixing young guys coming straight out of school, double their age, but they get to rub shoulders with guys who play a lot of cricket around the world.

“I think that’s something that you cannot buy in a supermarket. That’s such great learning for them.”

FEEL IT, IT’S HERE! ⁦@SA20_League⁩ Season 3 is about to kickoff! 🔥🙏 ⁦@IOLsport⁩ ⁦@IOL⁩ pic.twitter.com/oqRu1rznEP
— Zaahier Adams (@ZaahierAdams) January 8, 2025

The Super Kings will be hoping that they have discovered the magical formula that will take them into the grand final for the first time. | Independent Media Sport