Dean Elgar injury update: The South African opening batsman experienced a nasty period of play before losing his wicket.
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During the third day of the first Test of the ongoing South Africa’s tour of Pakistan in Karachi, South Africa opening batsman Dean Elgar was at the receiving end of a couple of nasty blows by Pakistan fast bowlers in Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
In the eighth over, Elgar was hit on the helmet after he failed to pull another pinpoint short delivery from Hasan. With the ball bouncing more than what was expected, Elgar played under the ball only to get hit on the helmet.
After receiving immediate medical attention, Elgar opted to carry on but ended up receiving a more severe blow in the 14th over. Facing Afridi, Elgar copped a blow on his left hand which witnessed him in significant pain.
Dean Elgar injury update
With the South African physio catering to Elgar in the same over, he was seen entering the playing area once again in the over before the left-hand batsman got out.
Clearly in pain at the National Stadium, Elgar went for an X-ray after his dismissal. It was just before stumps that the South African team management passed an official statement on the 33-year old player’s fitness.
“No fracture was detected on the X-ray. He [Dean Elgar] will be evaluated and managed by the medical team overnight and reviewed in the morning,” read the statement.
After inside-edging a sweep on to his pads only to be caught brilliantly by wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan, Elgar became the first batsman to get out to Pakistan spinner Yasir Ali in the second innings.
Dean Elgar has played 115 innings in Tests with 86 of them ending as caught [by keeper or fielder]. This (74.78%) is the highest percentage of inns getting over by catches for any batsman in Test cricket. Minimum: 100 inns. #PakvRSA
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 28, 2021
Having picked two more wickets in the last 30 minutes of the day’s play, Yasir brought back the hosts into the match after a 127-run partnership between Aiden Markram (74) and Rassie van der Dussen (64) had nullified Pakistan’s 158-run first-innings lead.
With nighwatchman Keshav Maharaj and captain Quinton de Kock playing a handful of deliveries to see off the day, the visitors need to bat sensibly to build on their 29-run lead tomorrow.
