Former Proteas captain and the most senior batsman in the current squad, Faf du Plessis, has announced his retirement from Test cricket.

Du Plessis, 36, played 69 Tests for the Proteas, scoring 10 centuries and 21 half-centuries and finishes with 4,163 runs at an average of 40.

‘I really wanted to finish with the upcoming Test series against Australia. That would have felt like it has all come full circle. I had that clarity of mind and heart and even though the ending is not how I imagined, the clarity remains,’ Du Plessis told Independent Media.

Du Plessis made his Test debut against Australia in Adelaide in the 2012-13 season, scoring 78 and 110* in a memorable draw, during which he batted for four-and-a-half sessions to save the Test.

He stepped down from the captaincy following the last Test series against England (concluded in early 2020) to focus on his batting. As captain he won 17 of the 27 Tests he led in.

Du Plessis will continue to be available for the Proteas in white-ball cricket, and has indicated his desire to be part of the World T20 later this year.