"What happens off the field, for me, is irrelevant now" - Dean Elgar
South African Test captain Dean Elgar has affirmed that the squad is at their professional best amid off-field issues. Proteas' director of cricket Graeme Smith and head coach Mark Boucher are in the spotlight following the verdict of the SJN hearings. The former cricketers have been accused of discriminating against players on the basis of race.
Elgar noted that the team cannot let these issues affect their on-field performance by any means. The Proteas will host India for a three-match Test series which will be contested as part of the World Test Championship cycle.
The series will be followed by a three-match bilateral ODI series. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Elgar said:
"What happens off the field for me is irrelevant now. As a playing unit, we have been through such crappy times (amid the COVID-19 pandemic) that we have formulated such a good bond within our group. We must be mindful that if things are worse off the field, we can’t use that as a cop-out for us. We are a professional team and professional players."
The #Proteas got some mileage under their belts as they got some time in the middle during a intra-squad match 🏏
#SAvIND #BetwayTestSeries #FreedomSeries #BePartOfIt https://t.co/08Ba56jhMg
South Africa emerged as winners the last time the two sides met in the Rainbow Nation. The Virat Kohli-led Team India are on the lookout to achieve their first series win in the country and are also battling off-field issues of their own.
We back our coaches and management: Dean Elgar
The South African skipper issued full support to the under-fire figures and believes most of their work goes under the radar. Smith and Boucher are expected to reprise their roles for the upcoming series, with a hearing date set for next year. Elgar added:
"From the player’s point of view, we back our coaches and management, They put in so much work that goes unnoticed and it gets watered down by the media. I know what they do behind the scenes. It is not nice to see our coaches get lambasted for things,"
Dean Elgar took over as captain of the Test team from Quinton de Kock earlier this year. The 35-year-old has led the Proteas on two occasions prior as a stand-in captain. He led the nation as a permanent skipper for the first time during their tour of the West Indies, where they emerged victorious by a 2-0 scoreline.
#Proteas Squad update 🚨
Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the 3-match #BetwayTestSeries due to a persistent injury 🚑
No replacement will be brought in
#SAvIND #FreedomSeries #BePartOfIt https://t.co/5R8gnwdcpF
Apart from the off-field issues, South Africa are also dealing with issues in their squad. They have been dealt a huge blow ahead of the series as in-form pacer Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the series. Cricket South Africa have not named a replacement for the player.