I still have hunger, drive: Dean Elgar wants to continue leading SA in Tests

Sydney [Australia], January 8 (ANI): Dean Elgar asserts that despite his own poor form and a second consecutive series loss, he still has the “hunger and the drive” to serve as South Africa’s Test captain.

Since taking over the captaincy of the South Africa team in mid-2021, Elgar has not scored a hundred. Elgar has vowed to lead South Africa in their final World Test Championship assignment–a two-Test series against the West Indies in February-March–and beyond, although admitting he needs some downtime. South Africa skipper also admitted that he is “highly irritated” by his repeated soft dismissals in the Australia series.

“We’ve got two [Tests] and then potentially a lot of time off for myself for some gully cricket. Then the pressure is off a little bit. But, I enjoy the pressure. If [I was] scoring runs now, it would have been a lot easier to say yes [I want to continue] but obviously you’ve got to go into it and ask yourself those questions and I have. I still have the hunger and drive, no doubt,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Elgar as saying after South Africa saved the Sydney Test.

Elgar, who has no SA20 contracts to his name, plans to take it easy through January before making a comeback in the second half of the local four-day championship, which begins on February 12.

“I am taking as much time off as I want. That’s what I need at the moment. There’s been a few conversations with me and the batting coaches to potentially do extra work but for now, I just want to get on a plane, and go home, chill out a bit, have a braai and maybe go to the bush and play some golf. Those are the small things that South Africans are deprived of when you go on a tour. I am just going to go home and clutch out a bit,” he said.

Coming to the third Test match against Australia, the South African top-order of Sarel Erwee, Heinrich Klaasen and Temba Bavuma dug deep to play out the final session on Day 5 of the third Test in Sydney against Australia to secure a draw on Sunday.

The Proteas’ batters finally found some spine at the SCG as Australia’s imposing bowling attack failed to take advantage of the conditions and the much-debated batting frailties of the Proteas in the longest format.