Test captaincy is going to be tough but looking forward to the challenge, insists Dean ElgarĀ
South Africa's newly-appointed Test captain Dean Elgar pretty well knows that his new job is going to be a tough challenge but asserted that he is also up for the task. The Protean also added that he's going to be the same guy like before and feels fortunate enough to have got the leadership role.
There has been a change in the captaincy of the South Africa team across formats after Quinton de Kock was relieved of his captaincy duties. CSA appointed senior player Deal Elgar as the new Test skipper while Temba Bavuma was handed over the limited-overs captaincy. After a tough series in Pakistan, Quinton de Kock is on a mental health break and is slated to miss domestic cricket as well. He was relieved from the burden of leading the side in all the formats of the game as it was weighing too heavily on him.
The newly-appointed Test captain Dean Elgar has stated that the captaincy role will be a tough ask but he's ready to take up the challenge.Ā
"It's going to be tough, and something that you have to be willing to do. Otherwise I don't think you should be put in this position. I am fortunate to be put in this position and that the hard work I have put in behind the scenes has been noticed. It's going to be a serious challenge, but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to. I feel if we get a few things in place we can definitely take the Proteas brand back to where we were a few years ago. That will be my biggest goal," Elgar said, reported ESPN Cricinfo.Ā
The 33-year-old also remarked that there are a lot of great young players who are in line to play for the country and it will be great to have a lot of young energy in the squad.Ā
"We owe it to the game to carry on moving it forward. We've got a long line of young, exciting players who've been breaking down doors in domestic cricket to try and get a foot in this squad. It's good to have fresh blood around. We aren't at the level of experience we were a couple of years ago, but we do have a couple of experienced players in the squad. I'm going to rely on them to help me through this journey."
The left-handed batsman also made it clear that as a captain his focus will be to give more clarity to the players and back them to the hilt.Ā
"The players and potential players deserve someone to come in and give them more clarity and more reassurance and stability. That's going to be on my agenda box-ticking as a leader, to try and get a bit of stability to the squad and try and establish an easier process coming in," he said.
However, Elgar maintained that he will be the same guy like before and will be open to conversations with all the stakeholders involved with the team.Ā
"I'm still going to be the same guy. I'm still going to have pretty straightforward, open and honest conversations with my team-mates, with the management, with the media," he said.