The early excerpts of du Plessis’ book generated their fair share of controversy. Du Plessis clears the air. Upon concluding Faf: Through Fire, it would be hard not to reflect on the degree of vulnerability that Du Plessis displays. Given that he was a part of dominant teams since his school days featuring future internationals such as AB de Villiers, Neil Wagner, Kruger van Wyk, Heino Kuhn, and Jacques Rudolph, where they lost two games in three years, it must have been challenging for Du Plessis to come to terms with the long transition that the Proteas faced under his leadership.

At times brutally honest, this fascinating, introspective work provides a unique insight into the mind and heart of one of South Africa’s most interesting and charismatic national captains. There is the public persona . . . the tattooed, fashion-conscious, mentally tough, immensely popular and yet, at times, misunderstood Du Plessis. And then there is the authentic Faf. It took him years to connect with this side of himself but, when he did, it shaped his relationships with people and ultimately his captaincy of the Proteas. I am very excited about my book, ‘Faf Through Fire’, being launched in India. I have always felt at home here and I have been extremely blessed to receive immense support while playing in India over the years. I hope that the readers enjoy reading it as much as I loved sharing it,” du Plessis said in a statement.

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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. Considered to be the last in the golden generation of Proteas, he also won silverware with the Titans and his IPL franchise, Chennai Super Kings, multiple times. I was intensely frustrated by the end of the series. What was supposed to be a maiden voyage for Mark and me made me feel like a ship lost at sea.” Not that Du Plessis is throwing stones from a glass house. He makes no attempt to downplay his own brushes with controversy.

Du Plessis had already been bowled by Pat Cummins for four and was cooling off in the shower when he heard a commotion outside the dressing room door. However, Du Plessis clarifies that Boucher’s man-management style may have been different and incompatible with his own. Despite the challenges in Du Plessis’ childhood with respect to his parents’ dynamic, his father instilled the discipline and mental toughness that allowed him to successfully navigate the hurdles he faced throughout his professional career. Du Plessis was also grateful for his mother’s tenderness and sensitivity that balanced his father’s strict and uncompromising approach to raising him. The New Zealand players were all over me. They started calling me a choker. I held a lot of resentment towards them for a long time." If things had gone differently I could have played in last year's World Cup, maybe even this one [2022 T20 World Cup] too," he says.His notes indicated that “leadership, relationships, and culture” were recurring themes and had the potential to add value to other people’s lives. In trademark Du Plessis humour, he describes a gathering organized by De Villiers on the eve of a Test match against England in January 2005 in which he scored 92 and 109. Rajasthan polls behind him, strategist for Cong, Gehlot lays out his role: ‘Not about telling anyone how to contest’ The former, a strapping fast bowler, was routinely hugged and often kissed by Du Plessis who wants to show that it's OK for even so-called 'alpha' men to show physical affection with other men.

At times brutally honest, this fascinating, introspective work provides a unique insight into the mind and heart of one of South Africa’s most interesting and charismatic national captains. There is the public persona… the tattooed, fashion-conscious, mentally tough, immensely popular and yet, at times, misunderstood Du Plessis. And then there is the authentic Faf. It took him years to connect with this side of himself but, when he did, it shaped his relationships with people and ultimately his captaincy of the Proteas. There was 'Zipgate' - where he was found guilty of rubbing the ball on the zipper of his trousers against Pakistan in 2013 - and 'Mintgate' - an incident in 2016 against Australia where he was seen applying residue and saliva from a mint onto the ball. He reflects on how influential leaders such as Gary Kirsten, Stephen Fleming, Doc Moosajee, Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers, Russell Domingo, Ottis Gibson, Owen Eastwood and MS Dhoni helped mould him as a man who leads with grit, purpose and a lot of love. 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. Dale Steyn and Hashim Amla were fading forces by this stage. On the eve of the 2019 World Cup, De Villiers sought a late re-entry to the squad. Du Plessis rejected the request from his old mate.And with South Africa once again in control, a young Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera stuffing a piece of sandpaper down his pants. Once he learned to accept this, he was able to find comfort in his own journey, one that took a lot longer to reach the apex of his sport. Faf Through Fire by Faf Du Plessis is this account from his childhood days to playing the domestic and then for the Proteas, and his long journey from debuting in ODIs to Tests, playing in IPL, World Cup, and experience with Dhoni, CSK, and RCB! Warner is an important villain in the piece. That incident during the Durban Test, which ended in a 118-run win for Australia, was just the first flashpoint across a volatile series that would be the highlight of Du Plessis' four-year tenure as captain.