|| India Correspondent ||

Veteran South Africa cricketer Faf du Plessis has decided to hang up his boots from the longer format of the game. The 36-year-old announced the news on Wednesday (February 17). Recently, Australia's tour of South Africa got postponed because of the ongoing COVID-19 situation in South Africa as well.

However, in a post on his official Instagram account, Du Plessis has confirmed the news as well. "My heart is clear and the time is right to walk into a new chapter," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis had played his very first Test match for South Africa with a match-saving century in the fourth-innings in Adelaide back in 2012 and later represented the country in 69 games as well.

"If someone had told me 15 years ago that I would play 69 Test matches for South Africa and captain the side, I wouldn't have believed them. I stand in a place of utmost gratitude for a Test career full of blessings bestowed on me," he again added.

He took over Test captaincy from AB de Villiers in 2016 and later captained the side in 36 matches before giving up the leadership last January after a home series defeat to England. Notably, Du Plessis has ended 2020 with a stunning knock of 199 against Sri Lanka at Centurion and finished his Test career with 4163 runs, which came at an average of 40.02, including 10 centuries and 21 fifties as well.