South African skipper Dean Elgar stated the DRS controversy supplied them a “window” to have a go on the goal with the Virat Kohli-led Indian group getting distracted by their on-field chatter in the course of the series-deciding third Test.
The left-handed opener’s LBW determination by umpire Marais Erasmus was overturned after HawkEye confirmed the ball trajectory going over the stumps.
It led to tempers fraying within the Indian camp with skipper Kohli alongside along with his deputy KL Rahul and senior offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin mocking the South African broadcasters ‘SuperSport” on stump microphone.
Chasing 212 in robust Newlands circumstances, South Africa had been 60 for one within the twenty first over when Elgar obtained the reprieve however with the Indian camp busy with the DRS controversy the hosts went on to attain 40 runs within the subsequent eight overs.
“That obviously gave us a little bit of a window period, especially yesterday (Thursday) for us to score a little bit freer and obviously, chip away at the deficit that we needed or the target that we needed,” Elgar stated after their series-clinching seven-wicket win right here on Friday.
“It worked out well in our hands, it played nicely into our hands. For a period of time, they actually forgot about the game and they were challenging a bit more of the emotional side of what Test cricket has to offer.”
Asked in regards to the controversy, Elgar stated: “Loved it. It was clearly possibly a group that was underneath somewhat little bit of strain and issues weren’t going the best way which they clearly had been fairly used to of late.
“Yeah we’re extremely happy. We still had to execute our skills with the bat (on day three and four) knowing that the wicket was playing a bit in the bowlers’ favour and we needed to be extra disciplined out there and execute our basics.”
Dean Elgar’s DRS gaffe reminded the cricket fraternity of Sachin Tendulkar’s controversy in 2011 World Cup
Guys wakened after 113-run defeat, and responded in type
South Africa had began the collection with an embarrassing 113-run defeat within the Boxing Day Test at Centurion the place they’d by no means misplaced.
So Elgar took upon the accountability to tug the group along with some “hard chats” along with his teammates, who responded effectively.
“Losing the first game of a home Test series is never ideal. I think it’s a South African trait that you always have to start slow and we almost have to be 0-1 down to actually wake up and realise that you know we were up against it and our backs against the wall and the guys responded beautifully to that.”
Asked in regards to the change room conversations, the Proteas skipper stated: “I think that ties into the conversations I had with the team prior to the second game. Guys taking responsibility and valuing their wicket a lot more. A few soft dismissals and lapses of concentration can hinder your series and ultimately that’s what got us the loss in the first game.”
Elgar stated he’s “very happy that the guys responded well.”
“They responded to fulfil these roles, particularly from a batting perspective. We wanted guys to face up from a personality perspective, make a bit extra of a acutely aware effort and be much more conscious of the place that they’ve inside the aspect, purely to deliver the very best out of the participant.
“Ultimately bringing the very best out of the participant will clearly affect the surroundings. So yeah, I’m glad and really, very relieved and really, very grateful of the blokes for responding the best way they did.
“It’s a proper squad effort, even the guys who didn’t play stood up in the right occasions for us.”
After dropping the primary Test, it took lots of character from South Africa to stage a comeback and Elgar confirmed the best way with an unbeaten 96 to chase down 240 to stage the collection at Wanderers.
“The momentum is one thing that we gained from Wanderers. Another factor is confidence particularly from our batters perspective. We haven’t had lots of that.
“But exhibiting the blokes that these guys are beatable. They’re additionally human beings. We are human beings taking part in a bloody robust sport.
“You need to get that confidence within your setup. I’d say momentum and confidence is a big thing that we’ve gained out of the Wanderers victory,” he stated about their turnaround.
Thick-skinned captain, exhibiting little feelings on digital camera
Leading an unheralded aspect, quick on expertise, towards the world primary Indians, many had written off Elgar in the beginning of the collection.
But he went about his function quietly to steer a outstanding coming-from-behind collection win.
“I think my skin is pretty thick when it comes to on-field matters and matters that value the team in a big way.”
Talking about his learnings as a skipper, Elgar stated: “I don’t wish to present my feelings an excessive amount of on digital camera. So I feel from that perspective, it’s one thing that I’ve truly realized fairly shortly.
“I haven’t had a lot of time to actually sit down and bottle everything up. I think from a captaincy point of view it definitely helped me from being a little bit more calm with regards to not panicking too soon,” he concluded.
