South African Faf Du Plessis is one of the finest cricketers in modern times. Playing nonchalantly across all formats – One-Day Internationals, Tests and Twenty20s – he has proven time and again that he can adapt to any situation and step up when his team needs him. Apart from being a brilliant batsman, his exploits on the field while fielding have seen him affect many memorable run-outs.

On his 37th birthday, here’s a flashback to his top five cricket innings:

November 2021: 110* vs Australia in Adelaide

The right-handed Test batsman made his Test debut as South Africa was trying to defend their Test mace in Adeliade, Australi. While the first Test ended in a stalemate, Australia had an advantage in the second Test on the fifth and final day. But Du Plessis had other plans in mind. He went on to score his first Test century after being dropped on 94. He faced 376 balls in the innings.

December 2013: 134 vs India, Johannesburg

After making a solid entry in Test cricket, Du Plessis failed to maintain his form. In the run-up to the Johannesburg Test in December 2014, the South African had failed to cross the 50-run mark in the last eight innings. India had set the hosts a target of 458. Batting at 138/2 at stumps of Day 4, a win for South Africa seemed impossible.

However, a 205-run partnership between him and AB de Villiers saw them reach the finish line. But with the day coming to a close, South Africa fell short of a stunning victory.

November 2016: 118* vs Australia, Adelaide

South Africa was batting at 44/3 in the Adelaide Test against Australia. Then Du Plessis stepped in and recovered his team from a tricky spot. Having hit a knock of 118*, he considers his century the best among all centuries. However, the Proteas ended up losing the match

December 2020: 199 vs Sri Lanka, Centurion

2019 was a tough year for the South Africa cricket team and after a couple of series losses, he stepped down from the captaincy role. But his 199 against Sri Lanka was his comeback statement, showing that he still has got it. Attempting to reach his Test double century by going big, he was caught out and fell short.

IPL 2019: 96 vs Punjab Kings

Faf du Plessis plays for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League and has been an important cog in the team for years now. From playing whirlwind knocks to saving important runs in the field, he has been a rage in the T20 league. Among his various IPL knocks, his 96 off 55 balls against Punjab Kings in 2019 could be the major highlight of his IPL career. During that innings, he hit 10 boundaries and four maximums during his innings.