Top 5 Knocks Of Dean Elgar In Test Cricket

image-lqy6ifp9Dean Elgar getting a standing ovation from the spectators after his last innings

On 30th November 2012, a 25-year-old southpaw from South Africa, Dean Elgar was handed over his baggy green at the Optus Stadium of Perth. The young Elgar was introduced to Test cricket in the tough Australian conditions. His Test career may have had a drastic beginning, but he is ending his cricketing career as one of the Proteas stalwarts.

Before the ongoing series against India, Dean Elgar announced that this would be his last series and the last time he would walk in the middle for the South African team. He almost had a fairytale ending to his Test career, as he went on to score a match-winning 185 runs in the first Test, helping the Proteas win the first game.

Let's have a look at the top 5 knocks from Dean Elgar's bat from his 11-year-long Test career.


Top Test knocks by Dean Elgar

199 (388) vs Bangladesh, Potchefstroom, 2017

image-lqy6bhovAgainst Bangladesh

During the year 2017, South Africa hosted an all-format tour for the Bangladesh team. While the Bangladesh team was high on confidence after their wins against Australia and Sri Lanka, they were clean-sweeped by the Proteas in all three formats. Dean Elgar played a major role in the longest format as he went on to record the highest total of his career. 

In the first Test of the two-match Test series, South Africa went on to bat first as the visitors opted to bowl. Dean Elgar proved them wrong and batted exceptionally well, scoring 199 off 388 deliveries, including 15 boundaries and three maximums. He helped his team posting a huge first innings total of 496 runs and eventually contributing most to the win. 


185 (287) vs India, Centurion, 2023

image-lqy6c2aiAgainst India

Dean Elgar stepped into his last Test series with nothing short of an exemplary performance, helping his team win by an innings, even with one batter short, as Temba Bavuma got injured. The pitch where the Indian team could not even cross 250 in the first innings and 150 in their second. Dean Elgar alone rattled their hopes of winning the first-ever Test series in South Africa. 

In the second innings of the Test, the southpaw went on to smash 185 runs and missed out on his well-deserved double hundred before getting out against Shardul Thakur unluckily. He helped South Africa post a score of 408 runs, eventually helping them win the game by an innings, as the Proteas bowlers bowled out the visitors for just 131 in their second innings.


141 (284) vs Australia, Cape Town, 2018

image-lqy6cncjDean Elgar vs AUS (x.com)

South Africa hosted a four-match Test series for Australia in 2018 and humiliated them by winning the series by 3-1. Dean Elgar was one of the top performers in South Africa's run to win the series, as he amassed 333 runs in four games. The third game was a crucial one, as the series was going one each and it all came down to the third Test. 

In the first innings, South Africa batted first and the southpaw, Dean Elgar guided the Proteas to a good total of 311 in the first innings. He scored almost the half runs of the team in the first innings and landed his team in a pretty comfortable position, as they went on to win the game and strengthened their chances of winning the series. 


140 (299) vs New Zealand, Dunedin, 2017

image-lqy6f2pzElgar Against New Zealand (x.com)

The Proteas travelled to New Zealand in 2017 for a three-match Test series and made it a memorable one by clinching the series 1-0. Dean Elgar top scored from South Africa with 265 runs. He was even named as the player of the match in the first Test.

The first game which was a draw, South Africa got to bat twice, however, the Kiwis could only bat once. In the first innings of the game, Dean Elgar showed his class and went on to slam 140 runs off 299 deliveries and help the Proteas post a total of 308 runs. He did not stop there, as he went on to score 89 runs in the second innings as well. 


127 (316) vs Australia, Perth, 2016

image-lqy6gpynElgar alongside Keshav Maharaj (x.com)

Perth has been always special for Dean Elgar because it is the place where he got to wear his baggy green for the first time.  When South Africa toured Australia in 2016, the Test series turned out to be a memorable one for them as they clinched the series by 2-1 in a three-match series. 

Dean Elgar got to play an innings which he could not while making his debut and went on to slam a hundred. This innings will come amongst his top ones, as it came in the third innings of the game and that too in a winning cause. He scored 127 off 316 deliveries and made a match-winning partnership with JP Duminy.