The left-hander represented his country for over 11 years and scored 14 centuries and 23 half-centuries, amassing a total of 5,347 runs in 86 Tests, having made his debut in November 2012 against Australia at The Waca where he made two ducks.
Elgar has shown his run-scoring prowess in all formats of the game, scoring 2,594 runs in 104 T20 matches, and a massive 18,981 runs in 279 first class matches.
He scored his maiden Test century in January 2013 against New Zealand, hitting 103 not out, and struck a century in Galle the following year as South Africa claimed victory against Sri Lanka.
He carried his bat three times during his Test career, scoring an unbeaten 141 against Australia in 2018 in Cape Town as South Africa romped home to a 322-run win. Elgar is the only batsman to carry his bat in an innings of a Test match twice in a single calendar year, having achieved the feat against India two months earlier.
He stood in as captain of South Africa during the Pakistan series of early 2019 after Faf du Plessis was penalised for a slow over rate and eventually became his country’s Test captain on a full-time basis two years later following Quinton de Kock’s resignation.
As captain, Elgar was unable to prevent England from coming from behind to win a three-match series against South Africa 2-1 in 2022 but scored 185 against India the following year in a seven-wicket victory which drew that two-match series level.
He announced his retirement from international cricket in January 2024 and, after two separate spells at Surrey, joined Essex on a three-year deal.
