Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said following India's series draw with South Africa, that the hosts were the most "beatable team" and 185 by opener Dean Elgar in the first Centurion Test prevented India from creating history.
Injury to Temba Bavuma also thrust Elgar back into the captain's role that was taken away from him last February.
Dean Elgar joins Aiden Markram on the list of players who have expressed interest in the job.
The win at Wanderers against India is a move in the right direction for the South Africa team, according to skipper Dean Elgar, who revealed that while there is room for improvement, the hosts won't be tinkering with their game plan heading into the final Test.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has named Dean Elgar in the list of its contracted players, in place of the retired Test captain Graeme Smith.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma showed their respect for the retiring Dean Elgar by presenting him with autographed India jerseys.
South Africa meet India in Centurion in the opening Test starting on December 26 before moving to Cape Town for the second match from January 3.
The freedom of impending retirement from the Test arena allowed South Africa opener Dean Elgar to produce one of his best innings.
Dean Elgar scored his 14th Test century to help South Africa to take an 11-run lead with five wickets in hand on Day 2.
South Africa is set for a fairytale farewell as Dean Elgar takes the helm in the final Test against India
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 2nd Test played at the Wanderers on Thursday.
Despite his and South Africa's poor showing in Australia, Elgar said he still wanted to continue as captain.
IMAGES from the Day 2 of the first Test between South Africa and India, at Centurion, on Wednesday.
Elgar expects the players to be up for the fight.
With nothing to lose on the eve of his final international outing, Dean Elgar didn't hold back while expressing his disgust about Cricket South Africa sending a third-string squad to New Zealand under an uncapped captain just because the series is coinciding with the cash-rich SA20.
South Africa will fancy their chances of victory if they can set India a target of 100 or more.
Seamer Wiaan Mulder, brought belatedly into the home attack, took three wickets in 11 balls to see Sri Lanka slump to 80-4, after which Nortje bagged regular victims to complete a second test five-wicket haul.
South Africa opener Dean Elgar was on Monday ruled out of the third Test against India as he suffered concussion after being hit by a bouncer from pacer Umesh Yadav.
South Africa captain Dean Elgar says there will be no panic following their thumping innings and 85 run second Test loss to England at Old Trafford on Saturday, but admits there will be some tough questions to answer ahead of the series decider.
Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock struck commanding hundreds to author South Africa's spectacular fightback before Ravichandran Ashwin wrested back India's control with a five-wicket haul on the third day of the opening Test.
Dean Elgar lived up to his reputation as a dogged, street-fighting batsman as he held the Indian bowling attack at bay, scoring a patient 46 off 121 balls.
Bavuma will captain the team to the 2021 and 2022 Twenty20 World Cups, as well as the 50-over World Cup in 2023. Elgar has been handed the reins for the next cycle of the ICC Test Championship that will run up until mid-2023.
South Africa captain Dean Elgar admits he had to show some tough love to his players, which he believes was behind their turnaround in fortunes as they completed a seven-wicket victory over India at Newlands on Friday to claim the Test series 2-1.
South Africa were in early trouble, after a brief rain delay at the start of play, when Aiden Markham went without scoring in the second over of the day.
'We always knew we would be under pressure if the conditions went around a bit.'
South African batting consultant Justin Sammons hailed Dean Elgar's stubborn resistance against a fearsome Indian attack, saying the skipper's show with the bat will be key if the hosts have to win the Wanderers Test.
Dean Elgar scored an unbeaten century but an excellent spell of bowling from Australia seamer Pat Cummins restricted South Africa to 266 for eight at the close of play on the opening day of the third Test at Newlands on Thursday.
South Africa will seek to exploit any weaknesses England may display when they go into the opening test at Lord's under a new captain and with some injury concerns, the tourists' stand-in skipper Dean Elgar has said.
South Africa lost Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock among several experienced batters in recent years, leaving Elgar and Temba Bavuma to shoulder a heavy burden.
Bavuma has replaced Dean Elgar as skipper in the longest format, though the latter remains part of a much-changed squad.
'You get stretched as a person, you get stretched as a cricketer, I think you get to know yourself quite a lot as a person when you come to the smaller places where the hotels are maybe not as good, and you get challenged on the field'
South Africa have rested veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis from the upcoming ODI series against England, replacing him with Dean Elgar in the 15-member squad for the five-match series starting August 24.
Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers, Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Mark Boucher, Daryl Cullinan, and Faf Du Plessis are the other Proteas batsmen who have more than 4000 runs in Test cricket.
South Africa have been second-best in the One-Day International and Twenty20 series in England this year, and also suffered a first-round exit in the Champions Trophy, but Elgar believes the red ball can signal a change in fortunes.
Dean Elgar's century and a quick-fire unbeaten 68 from Quinton de Kock lifted South Africa to 297 for six on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Newlands on Monday.
'Sometimes KG needs a rocket. You could then almost sense the intensity and focus... he was in the zone.'
Images from Day 3 in the first Test between South Africa and India, at SuperSports Park, Centurion, on Thursday.
Elgar looked set for his 13th Test ton until he offered Sri Lanka seamer Dasun Shanaka a sharp caught-and-bowled chance that was superbly taken.
23 wickets and several records fell on the opening day of the second and final Test in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Elgar said he had told his side to play with courage and to push themselves to the limit, as South Africa go in search of a fourth consecutive series win on Australian soil.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances