South Africa hope to give Dean Elgar perfect farewell in second Test against India

A veteran left-handed Test opener with remarkable numbers will ride into the sunset having been the pillar of strength for his team’s batting line-up for years.

Yes, David Warner is retiring from Tests, and ODIs. And so is South Africa’s Dean Elgar.

The Proteas batsman will turn out for the final time this week, during the second and final Test against India which starts in Cape Town on Wednesday. As he prepares for the final chapter of his remarkable career, Elgar has legitimate reasons to be considered a modern great.

Over the last 10 years, Elgar has scored the most runs (3271) and has one of the best averages (48.1) among all batsmen to have played Tests in South Africa – arguably the most difficult country in the world for a Test opener given the considerable help for seamers across venues.

Elgar is one of the last old-school Test batsmen who grinds the bowler down and is willing to take many hits to the body to stay at the crease.

As one of the last remaining 'traditional' batsmen, Elgar will aim to bring the curtains down on his Test career and also lead South Africa to victory.

The hosts will be favourites in Cape Town after India’s hopes of registering their first ever Test series win in the country were comprehensively dashed as they lost the first Test by an innings and 32 runs.

Elgar, 36, will captain the side - standing in for the injured Temba Bavuma - and is in great form having scored a majestic 185 in the first Test.

For India, the challenge will be two-fold.

Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is expected to return to bolster the bowling and batting which failed spectacularly in the first Test.

Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj maintained reasonable control in Centurion but