According to the Rapport newspaper, South Africa Test captain, Dean Elgar, is thinking about retiring following the two-Test series against India. Elgar feels he is not part of Test coach Shukri Conrad’s long-term plans, according to the newspaper. Elgar, who averages 80.40 while scoring 402 runs in six innings for the Titans, is in excellent form in domestic cricket.
The newspaper says that although negotiations between Elgar and Cricket South Africa didn’t go as planned, Elgar was supposed to captain a diminished South Africa team—which would be without their SAT20 players—in a two-Test series in New Zealand in February. Conrad is reportedly thinking of starting South Africa A captain Neil Brand as the opening batsman for the series in New Zealand. Additionally, Tony de Zorzi will probably be Brand’s opening partner if Elgar does step down following India.
South Africa captain to retire after India series
“Just expect the news [of his retirement] to break soon,” Rapport quoted a source.
“In my past, I haven’t been given a lot of credit for what I have done. I don’t think there is a big relationship between me and South African cricket fans. A lot of time, what I have done has been brushed under the carpet. People forget that you need cricketers like me in every team,” Elgar had told The Indian Express in 2018.
“I have found a way of dealing with the reactions and creating a vibe around myself. Because I don’t play in the IPL. IPL players get a lot more credit and so be it. They deserve it. So I am not a big person to really let go and enjoy people kissing my arse for doing something that I am supposed to do!”
At first, it looked like the southpaw’s rise to permanent Test match skipper in June 2021 would benefit South Africa. During his tenure, the squad overcame a 1-0 deficit against India at home and prevailed against the West Indies with a 2-0 series win. Notably, he rallied spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer to deliver another victory against Bangladesh in less than a month on home soil, albeit in the absence of IPL stars.
