India top-order needs to follow Elgar template

Only Dean Elgar knows how he survived the opening spell of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj at the Centurion ground last week.

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

On a spicy pitch, the Indian pace duo was every bit as incisive as Kagiso Rabada was for South Africa. But Elgar's warrior spirit was on full display. For the left-handed opening batter, it has never been about aesthetic appeal, his game is based on doggedness and a survival instinct that wants to get the job done for his team.

As India's batters look to find a way to cope with the tough conditions in South Africa, they will do well to follow the template set by the SA veteran who will be playing his farewell Test.

At Centurion, he walked away with all the plaudits for his epic 185 but for Elgar, it's never been about the centuries but the value of playing out the new ball and setting the foundation for the rest of the line-up. During the first Test, he again did his primary job well in the company of No 3 batter Tony de Zorzi by ensuring SA touched 100 for the loss of only one wicket.