Faf du Plessis bats as opener for Delhi Capitals.

Plessis scored 204 runs at 125.2 SR in IPL 2025, but his SRae of -24.6 tells the real story: he struck 24.6 points below the expected rate for the phases he batted in. That's a significant drag on the scoring rate.

Matchup Profile: Pace vs Spin

Plessis is more comfortable against pace across the board. Captains should look to deploy spin against him when possible.

Powerplay: 142.5 SR across 1646 balls | vs pace 146.6 | vs spin 128.7

Middle Overs: 147.6 SR across 964 balls | vs pace 157.5 | vs spin 141.7

Death Overs: 177.5 SR across 129 balls | vs pace 190.7 | vs spin 137.5 | (53.2 point gap favoring pace)

Phase-by-Phase Breakdown

Plessis faces 67% of his deliveries in the powerplay, which tells you everything about his role in the batting order.

Powerplay (1-6) (67% of balls): 142.5 SR — 22.7% boundaries, 43.4% dots

Middle (7-15) (31% of balls): 147.6 SR — 16.1% boundaries, 24.6% dots

Death (16-20) (1% of balls): 177.5 SR — 22.5% boundaries, 24.8% dots

Style and Tendencies

Plessis scored 202 runs in 9 innings in IPL 2025 at 125.2 SR, averaging 22.4 per outing. He hit 2 fifty with a high score of 62.

He's a boundary-heavy scorer — 59.4% of his runs come from fours and sixes — but he's capable of rotating strike when needed.

He's a chase specialist: 153.7 SR when chasing vs 72.3 SR batting first. Knowing the target seems to unlock something in his game. One concern: 100% of his dismissals are caught (9/9). That kind of pattern is something opposition analysts will look to exploit.

What This Means for IPL 2026

Plessis is expected to continue as opener for Delhi Capitals. The matchup edge against pace is real and repeatable — smart deployment against the right bowling attack could unlock another level. The below-average strike rate for his batting position is something he'll need to address if he wants to hold his spot.