"My Record Has Been Pretty Good": Dean Elgar On South Africa Pitch

Following a chaotic first day of the second Test between India and South Africa which saw a total of 23 wickets falling, South African skipper Dean Elgar refused to label the pitch as bad but said that it is challenging instead. Aiden Markram and David Bedingham took South Africa to 62/3 at Stumps on dramatic day one of the second Test match in Cape Town on Wednesday. At the time of stumps, South Africa's score read 62/3 - trail by 36 runs - with Markram (36) and Bedingham (7) unbeaten at the crease.

Despite managing scores of 4 and 12 in his final Test, Elgar refused to label the pitch as bad, but said that they are challenging and a batter needs to apply themselves, be mentally hard and disciplined.

"I cannot say that (the pitch is bad) because personally, I have had success on wickets that have gone around. My record on our wickets has been pretty good," he said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"They have been challenging but I think that is what you have got to experience as a batter. For me, it is all about the balance between bat and ball and it is a fine line to get that right. In South Africa, maybe they get a little bit wrong and it is more in favour of the bowler. But as a batter, you have still got to go out and apply yourself and you have got to really be mentally hard on yourself to be disciplined, stay to a very simple game plan and execute. There is no excuse going forward. You still have to apply yourself and that is anywhere around the world. But particularly in South Africa where it is a little bit tougher," he added.

At either end, the bounce was way different. At Wynberg End, from where Mohammed Sirah took a six-wicket haul, the bounce was up and down, but at the Calvin Grove End, from where Lungi Ngidi