International career
Dean Elgar is a South African cricketer who played in both Test and ODI formats. He is known for being a left-handed opening batter and a slow-left arm bowler. Elgar also served as South Africa’s Test captain.
- 2012: ODI Debut: Elgar was called up for the Sri Lankan ODI series but had to withdraw due to injury. He made his official ODI debut against England in a match that was interrupted by rain. His second ODI was more successful as he scored 15 runs before being dismissed by Graeme Swann.
- 2012: Test Debut: Elgar made his Test debut against Australia on 30 November 2012. In his first match, he was out for a duck in both innings, unfortunately recording a pair.
- 2013: First Test Century: On 12 January 2013, Elgar scored his first Test century against New Zealand, making 103 runs and marking an important milestone in his career.
- 2014: Century Against Sri Lanka: On 16 July 2014, Elgar scored 103 runs against Sri Lanka and followed up with a knock of 121 runs against the West Indies at St George’s Oval. He became a regular player for South Africa in Test cricket.
- 2015: Record as Opening Batter: On 28 December 2015, Elgar became the first South African opener to carry his bat in a Test innings since Gary Kirsten in 1997. He finished 118 not out in that match against England.
- 2016: Century in Perth: On 5 November 2016, Elgar scored 127 runs in the first Test against Australia in Perth. His partnership of 250 runs with JP Duminy set a new record for South Africa’s highest partnership in Perth.
- 2017: Historic Achievement Against New Zealand: On 11 March 2017, Elgar became the first South African opener to face 200 or more balls in both innings of a Test match.
- 2018: Second and Third Times Carrying the Bat: Elgar became the first South African to carry his bat twice in Tests since 1992 on 27 January 2018. He repeated the feat on 23 March 2018 when he scored an unbeaten 141 runs against Australia, tying the record with Desmond Haynes.
- 2019: Stand-in Captain: Elgar became the stand-in captain in 2019 for the third Test against Pakistan after regular captain Faf du Plessis was suspended for a slow over-rate.
- 2021: Full-Time Captain: Elgar took over as the full-time Test captain in March 2021, after Quinton de Kock resigned. In his first match as captain, South Africa won against the West Indies by an innings and 63 runs, and then won the second Test by 158 runs.
- 2022: Victory Against India: During the 2021–22 Indian tour of South Africa, Elgar led the team to a seven-wicket victory in the second Test, leveling the series.
- 2024: Retirement: On 3 January 2024, Elgar played his last Test match against India at Newlands, Cape Town.
Leagues Participation
His time in the Mzansi Super League stands out, where he made important contributions to his team's victories.
Mzansi Super League
Elgar played for the Tshwane Spartans in the Mzansi Super League. He had solid performances, especially with the bat, helping his team win several matches.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2018
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Spartans
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Scored 79 runs off 52 balls in a win against Jozi Stars.
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2019
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Tshwane Spartans
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Scored 88 runs off 60 balls against Paarl Rocks, his best performance.
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2019
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Tshwane Spartans
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Helped the Spartans beat Paarl Rocks by eight wickets.
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Domestic career
Dean Elgar has played for several teams in South Africa and abroad. He started with the Knights, appearing in some matches for the Franchise One Day Cup. During the 2011–12 season, he scored 567 runs in a match against the Warriors.
Elgar also played County Cricket in England for Surrey and Somerset. In 2015, he played two first-class matches for Surrey and scored 161 runs at an average of 53.67. In 2017, he played for Somerset, scoring 519 runs in six List A games with an average of 103.8.
In 2018, Elgar joined Surrey again on a short-term contract. He replaced Mitch Marsh, who was recovering from ankle surgery, and played for the team until South Africa's tour of Sri Lanka. He had played for Surrey earlier in 2015, with three appearances.
In April 2021, Elgar joined the Northerns squad for the 2021–22 season in South Africa. In January 2024, he signed a three-year contract with Essex, replacing Alastair Cook as the top player.
Other Leagues
Dean Elgar has played in different global and regional leagues, representing various teams in multiple formats.
In February 2022, Elgar was named captain of the Titans for the 2021–22 CSA T20 Challenge. In 2023, he scored 103 runs for the Northern Titans in a One-Day Cup match against the Boland Rocks.
In May 2024, at the Titans' awards ceremony for the 2023-2024 home seasons, Elgar received the One-Day Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards.
Records and achievements
Dean Elgar has had a successful career with many important records. His consistency in Test cricket has made him a key player for South Africa. Below are some of his significant achievements:
- 2006: Captain of the South African Under-19 Cricket World Cup team in Sri Lanka.
- 2012: Debuted in Test cricket against Australia at the WACA, Perth.
- 2015: Became the second South African cricketer to carry his bat in a Test innings, scoring 118 against England.
- 2017: First South African opener to face more than 200 balls in both innings of a Test match against New Zealand.
- 2018: Scored his highest Test score of 199 against Bangladesh at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom.
- 2018: Became the second player to bat three times in a Test innings, a feat achieved in a match against Australia.
- 2021: Became the captain of South Africa’s Test team in March.
- Career Stats: Elgar has scored 2,934 runs in 47 Tests, including 10 centuries, with an average of 41.32. He also has 14 Test wickets.
Personal life
Dean Elgar is a well-known cricketer from South Africa who has had a strong career. While he tends to keep his personal life private, there has still been interest in it over the years.
Finance
Dean Elgar's net worth is around $5.28 million as of 2024.
Family
Dean Elgar’s father, Richard Elgar, has always supported him in his cricket career. His mother, Denise Peart, and details about his siblings are not widely shared.
Scandals
In May 2024, Elgar said he was removed as captain of the South African national Test team due to internal politics that affected team culture. In 2020, during a Test match against England, Elgar was dismissed after a DRS decision, despite there being no clear evidence to support the call.
Fans
In 2019, Elgar faced backlash after he criticized the hospitality in India, mentioning the poor hotel conditions and food quality. In 2023, Elgar's strong performance against Indian bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, earned praise from fans around the world, including in Cyprus. He has 7,000 followers on Instagram.
