Elgar: I don’t play for personal milestones, I always play for the team

The South African captain said, “This is a young side. For many of them, it is their first Test victory. They know the significance of the occasion. I want to celebrate with them.”

Dean Elgar of South Africa during day 4 of the 2nd Betway WTC Test match between South Africa and India at Imperial Wanderers Stadium.

South African captain Dean Elgar played one of the great knocks of his career, steering his side to a seven-wicket win with a blood-and-guts unbeaten 96 here on Thursday.

He said later about taking all those painful blows on the body batting on a spicy pitch, “Some may call me stupid, others may call me brave. But when I play for my country, I put my body on the line. Nothing else matters.”

The South African captain rated this innings among the three of the best knocks. He said, “I don’t play for accolades, I don’t play for personal milestones, I always play for the team.”

READ: Elgar 96 seals seven-wicket win for South Africa at Johannesburg

Elgar said he had always wanted to lead from the front. “Right from my school days, I wanted to do that. It makes it easier for others to follow in your footsteps.”

The South African captain said, “This is a young side. For many of them, it is their first Test victory. They know the significance of the occasion. I want to celebrate with them.”

Elgar called it a team effort and said, “We bowled very well and if you look at the chase, apart from my knock, there were many valuable contributions.”

About Kagiso Rabada’s red hot spell on day three that opened up the game, Elgar said, “I had a word with KG. He’s our most experienced bowler. I wanted the best from him.”