Dean Elgar’s courage and application takes us to the heart of Test cricket. The South African opener is tough, fights as if his life depends on the innings.
In early 2018, on a volatile surface at the Wanderers, that Bullring, where the ball seamed, bounced off a length, or shot through, Elgar withstood a nasty blow on the helmet from Jasprit Bumrah to carry his bat with a blood-and-guts 86.
Contrast
And here, on the third day of the first Freedom Test on Friday, the 32-year-old South African, in his next Test innings against India, dropped anchor in the vastly different sub-continental conditions for a monumental 160. The innings oozed character.
If Elgar slugged it out, Quinton de Kock, the smooth-stroking southpaw, galloped on his skills for a 111 of exquisite strokeplay at the ACA-VDCA ground.
There were more protagonists on an incident-filled day. R. Ashwin, conjuring moments of craft and beauty, scalped five with his off-spin while left-armer Ravindra Jadeja claimed his 200th Test wicket in his 44th Test.
South Africa, 385 for eight at stumps and 117 behind India’s first innings score with two days left, has given itself a realistic chance of forcing a draw on a pitch where there is turn and and some variable bounce, but is by no means a minefield.
Weather will remain a factor, too, with scattered thunderstorms forecast on Saturday and Sunday.
On pivotal day three, Elgar grew in stature. He got right behind the ball, was solid in defence and did not miss out on opportunities to score.
His back-lift starts from around fourth slip but, crucially, once he gets his willow down, Elgar plays close to his body. This tightness in his game is his strength.
Elgar was fortunate though on 74 when he was drawn into one outside the off-stump from Jadeja but ’keeper Wridhhiman Saha fluffed the offering.
As he grew in confidence, Elgar slog-swept, lofted and whipped the ball, using his feet. In fact, this was a surface where, if the batsman employed his footwork he looked far more secure than someone who played from the crease.
Eventually, Elgar’s top-edged sweep was splendidly picked up by Cheteshwar Pujara to end a captivating 164-run sixth-wicket partnership with de Kock — Jadeja’s 200th.
The manner in which de Kock, all freshness and freedom, stroked the ball on this track seemed ethereal. He picked the length early, consequently had more time, and got himself into terrific positions for strokes on both sides.
He skipped forward to drive the ball gloriously through covers, with an amalgam of timing and placement. Or wristed or lofted with authority.
The gifted de Kock played the ball late, his late cut off Ashwin was as delicate as they come. And he reached his century with a stunning six over covers, on one knee, off Ashwin.
Ashwin bowled with control even as he brought about subtle variations. The feature of his bowling was the amount of body he was getting into his action.
Ashwin ended the worrying 115-run fifth-wicket partnership in 31.2 overs between Elgar and Faf du Plessis.
The combative du Plessis (55) employed the sweep to disrupt length and jumped down to strike the ball between long-off and long-on. Done in by Ashwin’s extra bounce, he was picked up smartly by Pujara at leg-slip.
Well-deserved returns
Ashwin deserved his five wickets. He set up de Kock by turning the ball away from the left-hander and castled him with one that came in with the arm. And Vernon Philander was bowled by a huge off-spinner.
With South Africa revealing resolve and desire, there is plenty at stake over the last two days.
