The Proteas’ not too long ago changed Test captain Dean Elgar goes to wish to end off his worldwide season on the absolute best observe within the second Test in opposition to West Indies getting beneath manner on Wednesday morning.
Elgar solely performs for the Proteas at Test degree, so won’t be part of the ODI and T20 squads that may nonetheless be in motion over the approaching months, and may he be chosen, would solely function once more for them within the incoming Test collection in opposition to India in December and January.
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With the native franchise season additionally coming to an finish later this month, it means Elgar can have treasured little cricket to play till the subsequent season will get beneath manner in October, until he finds himself a gig on the county seen in England.
County cricket
Elgar might be 36-years-old by the point the Proteas play once more and is on the again finish of his profession, so he might want to keep match and in kind if he desires to proceed being thought-about for worldwide cricket.
He had a blended first Test in opposition to the Windies, scoring 71 within the first innings and one within the second, however acquired himself out virtually identically in a really disappointing manner each occasions, ramping the ball straight to the third man fielder.
New Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad believes Elgar nonetheless has loads to offer the Proteas, however admitted it could come all the way down to his kind over the remainder of the yr.
“We’ll have to see what Dean’s winter looks like. Hopefully, he can find a gig in the county scene that’ll keep him ticking over and then come the start of next season, we then see where everyone is at, not just Dean,” mentioned Conrad on the Proteas pre-match press convention.
“If we feel that, regardless of the age and experience, if the player is still performing, they’ll still form part of our squad. It is a real concern for guys like Dean who don’t get to showcase their talent as much as the other guys do. We’ll have to wait and see how that pans out.”
More Test cricket
Conrad additionally mentioned that the Proteas have to play more Test cricket, with them having acquired a uncooked deal within the worldwide future excursions programme from 2023 to 2027, which sees them enjoying simply two to 4 Tests a yr over that interval.
“We need to be playing more Test cricket and we can’t be excluded based on not being a leading light in test cricket. We are, and so are the West Indies,” mentioned Conrad.
“The unhappy actuality is that in a spot just like the West Indies and positively not right here, the shortage of Test cricket or the shortage of the nationwide facet enjoying within the Test area would possibly imply that curiosity begins waning, and that’s a spot you by no means wish to attain.
“Because once a young star does not have that burning ambition and desire to play for his country, that spells the beginning of the end, so hopefully both sides can put in performances that make people sit up.”
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