On the second day of the Boxing Day Test at Supersport Park in Centurion, Dean Elgar graced the fans with an elegant century that not only showcased his technical prowess but also steered South Africa to a position of strength against India. The left-handed opener’s sublime innings became the centerpiece of a memorable day of Test cricket.
Dean Elgar opening the innings for South Africa scored an elegant ton putting South Africa in the pole position against India in the first test. The Veteran SA batter played some elegant drives and pounced on the loose deliveries from the Indian Bowlers. Elgar hit as many as 23 boundaries in his unbeaten innings of 140 as South Africa ended Day 2 on high with 256/5 with a lead of 11 runs.
Tough going at the start
Elgar faced a steep challenge against the Indian opening bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Both the Indian bowlers bowled tight lines and troubled the SA openers. Elgar was beaten many times by the visiting bowlers but he stayed composed and waited for the bad deliveries. He approached the challenge posed by the Indian bowling attack with grace and precision.
Elgar playing the final test series of his long test career played with a lot of assurance leaving close balls and scoring at a good rate. Elgar waited for the change bowlers for India in Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna and put pressure on them.
Partnerships with De Zorzi and Bedingham
The Veteran Batter stood tall at one end and built crucial partnerships with Tony de Zorzi and Debutant David Bedingham. The Indian bowlers were all over the place and sprayed the ball around offering a lot of deliveries that were asking to be put away and the SA batters happily accepted them.
Elgar stitched a 93-run partnership with the left-hander De Zorzi and a more crucial 131-run partnership with Bedingham. With skipper Bavuma’s role in the test still not confirmed, Elgar seems to playing the innings of his Bavuma too.
What next?
Elgar will resume Day 2 on 140 and will look to stretch the lead as much as possible and tire the Indian bowlers more on Day 3 before bowling again as SA has to bat in the 4th innings of the test.
Elgar’s century was a testament to his impeccable technique. The opener seamlessly combined solid defense with graceful strokeplay, showcasing an array of elegant drives, well-timed cuts, and delicate glides. His ability to find the gaps and rotate the strike kept the Indian bowlers at bay, while also capitalizing on loose deliveries with finesse.
South Africa would like Elgar to continue for one or two more years but playing only a few test matches a year is the drawback for someone like him who only plays test cricket. The Cricket South Africa(CSA) and International Cricket Council(ICC) have to try and schedule more test games for the team to protect these traditional players and also protect the format.