The Chennai Super Kings have retained South African batsman Faf du Plessis for the 2019 Indian Premier League.

Fast bowler Mark Wood has been released, while fellow Englishman David Willey has been retained.

Du Plessis scored 162 runs across six innings in last year’s tournament, which the Super Kings won. They beat the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.

He is currently playing for South Africa in Australia – and scored a superb century in the third ODI in at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart last week. His 125 spanned a mere 114 deliveries featured 15 fours and two sixes during a prolific partnership with the left-handed David Miller – and sealed a two-one series triumph.

‘We have really valued experience. MS Dhoni, myself and others are on the same wavelength, so that is quite a good place to be. We have a multi-skilled team in our ranks. That, to us, is very important as it gives us options throughout the course of the season. Around the world, the experienced players have always been consistent,’ said Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming.

Proteas wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, meanwhile, has moved from the Royal Challengers Bangalore to the Mumbai Indians.

The hard-hitting de Kock has also represented the Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad.