“It’s me and my open soul for everyone to read about,” said former South African captain, Faf du Plessis, to Cricket Fanatics Magazine at the launch of his autobiography, Faf: Through Fire. 

The book launch, held at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, recorded a significant attendance. “People come and watch you because they love cricket. When they come and support you on a night like this, I’m really grateful for that,” said a visibly pleased du Plessis. 

When the idea of an autobiography was floated, du Plessis was reluctant because he felt like he did not have the inclination to write a book.

The first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 compelled du Plessis to rethink his stance on writing the book, as he reflected on the notes he had recorded throughout his cricket career. 

His notes indicated that “leadership, relationships, and culture” were recurring themes and had the potential to add value to other people’s lives. 

The process turned out to be more challenging than du Plessis anticipated. Initially planned as a six-to-twelve-month endeavor, it ended up taking over two-and-half years.

The early excerpts of du Plessis’ book generated their fair share of controversy. Du Plessis clears the air.

“It was important for me to be honest about things that have not been spoken about before. The point of that was never to be controversial, it was always to protect people.”

He further elaborated, “There are a lot of stories in the book that are at the crossroads of being brutally honest but not hurting people in the process.”