A nought in each innings of his debut Test could well have an adverse effect on a batsman’s mindset. But there are individuals who refuse to be cowed down by such ignominy and instead, remain steadfast in their approach and goal till they succeed.

Dean Elgar certainly belongs to that genre.

Since that forgetful debut, his figures in Test cricket (4549 runs in 71 matches at an average of 40.25) haven’t gone on to be outstanding if compared with some of the other fancied South African batsmen who retired not too long ago. But Elgar has the task of leading a Proteas line-up lacking enough experience in terms of batting in the game’s most challenging format.

In all fairness, the 34-year-old has done a pretty decent job so far and it all boils down to his mental toughness, which was in display during his unbeaten 96 in difficult circumstances in Johannesburg last week that helped South Africa level the ongoing Test series versus India.

“He (Dean) came in as a youngster in the Eagles set-up (in 2006). I was the captain then. He was very focused and initially showed a natural tendency and ability to be a fantastic red-ball player. His sturdiness and determination you see now in huge amounts hasn’t really changed much,” recalled former wicketkeeper-batsman Morne van Wyk, who represented South Africa in 17 ODIs and eight T20Is.

Effective like Smith

Like the Proteas’ former captain and current director of cricket Graeme Smith, what counts for Elgar is his effectiveness, emphasised Namibia head coach Pierre de Bruyn. De Bruyn was a part of the Titans team when Elgar made his first-class debut for Eagles in 2006. “Each and every battle against Dean used to be tough.

“Maybe then for Dean, he wanted to make his batting look pretty. But he has grown so much as an international cricketer that it doesn’t have to look pretty when he bats. It’s just got to be effective.

“Graeme Smith too was the same, not prettiest in terms of technique, but so effective for the team and mentally tough,” De Bruyn stated.

“However, if someone wants to know what mental toughness is about, ask Dean Elgar. Because, he never shies away from any battle. “Technically, he isn’t sound, but mental toughness-wise, he’s one of the best in the world. If you are a young player in the South African squad, talk to Dean about how you can be mentally stronger. He’s very much approachable as a person too,” De Bruyn added.

According to Cricket South Africa (CSA) convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang, Elgar also wants to set an example as a captain. “If you just look at how he has performed over the years and how he fared in the second innings in Centurion (scoring 77) in challenging conditions as well as in the previous Test, where batting wasn’t that easy, he did exceedingly well. That’s what’s expected of a captain.

“Dean wants to lead well and set an example because he expects higher standards from his team,” Mpitsang said.