The second Test between India and South Africa is set to be played from January at Newlands in Cape Town. It is also the final Test of Dean Elgar's career who had made his retiring intentions clear before the series commenced. However, Elgar wouldn't have even expected that he will get a chance to lead South Africa in his last game for his country at the international level.
Their regular skipper Temba Bavuma pulled up his hamstring while fielding in the first innings of the last Test and since then Elgar took up the captaincy while also smashing the match-winning 185 in the toughest of conditions to bat. Coming back to the opportunity of leading the Proteas in his last Test, Elgar will become just the 12th player in Test cricket to retire as captain as soon as he steps out for the toss alongside India skipper Rohit Sharma on Wednesday (January 3).
Meanwhile, Dean Elgar has reiterated his liking for Test cricket even as South Africa have named second-string squad for the away Test series against New Zealand as their contracted players will be playing in the second edition of SA20. He termed that the situaition currently isn't ideal while also revealing that he had decided to retire a couple of months ago. "Team selected for New Zealand tour isn't ideal and situation isn't ideal.
"I made my decision (to retire) couple of months ago. I have made my bed and sleeping nicely. The future is not in my hands. It's in hands of administrators. As long as I played I remained a Test fanatic. t's sad to see we are playing just two Tests against India. Fixtures are important for growth. You need to follow a process and the more fixtures you get more performances youngsters can put. That means more exposure and money," he said in the press conference.
However, Dean Elgar will forever become a part of history as he will be one of the 12th player in Test cricket to become captain in his last match in the format.
Cricketers to captain in their last Test match: Allan Border, Clive Lloyd, Graeme Smith, MS Dhoni, Steve Waugh, Viv Richards, Brendon McCullum, Andrew Strauss, Brian Lara, Anil Kumble, Misbah-ul-Haq, Dean Elgar* (will be added once he plays in Cape Town)
