IND vs SA 2nd Test: Elgar named Proteas captain, Hamza replaces Bavuma

Proteas regular skipper Bavuma, who was injured in the first Test, has been replaced by Zubayr Hamza in the squad while Dean Elgar has been named skipper

Cricket South Africa, on Friday, December 29, named Dean Elgar as the captain for the second Test between India and South Africa. The match, colloquially known as the New Year’s Test, will be played at the Newlands Stadium in Capetown from January 03, 2024, onwards. Bavuma has been ruled out of the Test due to injury. Zubayr Hamza replaced Bavuma as a batter in the squad.

Elgar, who announced his retirement from international cricket after the end of this home series against India, played a crucial role in the team’s victory in the first match, scoring 185, his second-best individual score in Tests. His first century at home ground SuperSport Park, Centurion helped the team win by an innings and 32 runs.

After Bavuma left the field in the 20th over of the first innings on the first day of play, Wiaan Mulder replaced him as a substitute fielder and Elgar, who had captained Proteas before, took over the reins of the side.

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The 36-year-old, who has featured in 85 Tests, scoring 5331 runs with 14 centuries and 23 fifties to his name at an average of 38.35, has also led the South African side in 17 Tests between July 2017 and January 2023. However, his record as a captain has not been as impressive as his record as a batter.

Among the nine matches that he won, five were played in South Africa and two in the West Indies. Away from home, he won only one series and that was against the West Indies.

Dean Elgar’s record as Test captain 

Matches	17
Won	9
Lost	7
Drawn	1
Series Played	6
Series Won	3
Series Lost	2
Series Drawn	1