South Africa’s Dean Elgar Falls Short of Maiden Double Hundred in 1st Test Against India
On December 28, 2023, in Centurion, South Africa’s Dean Elgar left the field after being dismissed by India’s Mohammed Siraj on day 3 of the first Test. Photographed by Getty Images, this moment made headlines as South Africa’s first innings concluded with a total of 408, in reply to India’s 245. This article will cover the details of this significant event.
Dean Elgar’s Missed Milestone and Impact on the Game
Dean Elgar, with a score of 185 off 287 balls, missed out on achieving his first double hundred. Alongside young Marco Jansen, Elgar inflicted substantial damage on India, potentially batting the visitors out of the opening Test. The Elgar-Jansen pair added 111 runs for the sixth wicket, increasing their overall lead to 163 runs.
Challenges Faced by Indian Bowlers
The Indian bowlers faced significant challenges on the third morning, with Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna delivering disappointing performances. Thakur and Krishna were unable to contain the former Proteas skipper Elgar and the lanky left-arm seamer Jansen. Additionally, despite impressive efforts from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, the Indian bowlers struggled to gain momentum.
Analysis of the Bowlers’ Performance
Shardul Thakur, with figures of 1/101 in 19 overs, and Prasidh Krishna, with figures of 1/92 in 19 overs, failed to maintain accuracy and line length. On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin’s performance, ending with figures of 1/41 in 18 overs, demonstrated greater effectiveness compared to his counterparts.
Despite Ashwin’s efforts, the bowling duo of Prasidh and Shardul conceded nearly 200 runs in less than 40 overs, significantly impacting their team’s chance of redemption.
Overall, South Africa’s dominant performance and India’s struggles on the field have set the stage for an intriguing continuation of the Test match.
