Dean Elgar joins Essex after Test retirement

In the same month he played his last Test innings for South Africa, gritty opener Dean Elgar joined the Essex club ahead of the 2024 season. 

The opener, who has scored 5,347 runs across 86 Tests for South Africa since 2012, is still 36 and has a few good years left in him, as visible in his last series. He scored 185 in Centurion in an innings that lasted seven hours and also brought up his 14th Test century. 

Elgar will replace the former England captain, Sir Alastair Cook, who scored at an average of 41.63 for Essex after retiring from international cricket in 2018. With his Test credentials, Elgar is a perfect fit to do the Cook job at the top of the order. 

Elgar seemed quite excited in his statement about embarking on a new cricketing journey right after his Test retirement.  He said, “I’m thrilled to embark on this new chapter of my cricketing journey with Essex.”

“The Club have been pushing for honours in recent years, and I’m eager to contribute to further success.”

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my previous experiences in county cricket, and I’m really looking forward to joining up with the squad ahead of the season.” he added. 

🤝 Essex are delighted to announce the signing of Dean Elgar on a three-year deal.

The seasoned batter, whose remarkable career in Test cricket for South Africa came to an end earlier this month, joins the Club ahead of the 2024 season.

— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) January 12, 2024

Essex head coach Anthony McGrath was quite chuffed about his club’s new signing. 

“Dean brings a wealth of talent and experience that will undoubtedly strengthen our squad for the 2024 season. He has had an outstanding career in Test cricket and has demonstrated to the world his desire to score runs at the highest level, right up until he retired.” 

“His achievements in the international arena speak volumes about his capabilities, and we are excited to witness his impact at Essex.” the Essex head coach added.