Dean Elgar says the Proteas know New Zealand will be ’dangerous’ with or without key players

Cape Town - Proteas Test captain Dean Elgar believes the absence of key players in the New Zealand team makes no difference to the almighty challenge that lays ahead for his team in the first Test starting at Hagley Oval on Thursday.

The Black Caps are the current World Test Champions and are a particularly effective unit in their home conditions not having lost a series in their backyard since ironically their 1-0 defeat to the Proteas back in 2017.

However, Gary Stead's side will be without two of arguably their best batters in New Zealand's entire cricketing history this week in Christchurch for the first time since 2008 with captain Kane Williamson injured and Ross Taylor retired.

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This has left a gaping hole of 198 Test matches and 14955 runs collectively in the Black Caps middle-order, which is virtually impossible to fill on such short notice.

Equally, premier new-ball bowler Trent Boult will be absent for the first Test due to the birth of his third child which has blunted the Black Caps potent attack too.

Elgar, though, is a not focusing too much on the notable absentees in the Kiwi camp for he knows that the Black Caps have a proud history of finding someone to get the job done.

"We respect the New Zealand side in a big match here. They've had success even with the [leading] guys not around. They've had success with the current players that they have and we know they're an extremely dangerous side in their conditions,” Elgar told reporters pre-match.

“They’re playing Test cricket for their country, so they know what they're doing when it comes to their skill and it's up to me [as captain] to make us