‘They played it nicely into our hands’ – Dean Elgar reacts to the frustration of Indian players amid DRS drama in Cape Town

Test cricket was at its best in the recently-concluded Cape Town clash between South Africa and India. It was the third and deciding game of the series and both teams left no stones unturned to cross the line. In fact, momentum rode on a rollercoaster throughout the contest. However, controversy took center stage on Day 3 of the game.

Dean Elgar received a shocking lifeline after he was adjudged out by the on-field umpire Marais Erasmus off Ravichandran Ashwin’s bowling. However, the Hawk-Eye element of DRS determined that the ball would have gone over the stumps and hence, the LBW decision was overturned. Things then heated up on the field as Indian players expressed their disappointment over the decision. Even, host broadcaster SuperSport was also accused of favoring the home team.

India was a team under pressure and things weren’t going their way: Dean Elgar

India later went onto lose the contest by seven wickets and Elgar is pretty happy with the way things panned out. “Love it!” was the South African skipper’s knee-jerk reaction to the frustration of Indian players in the mad moments. Elgar reckons India crumbled under pressure and played it in South Africa’s hands.

“It was a team under pressure and things weren’t going their way, which they are not used to. It played nicely into our hands that, for a time, they forgot about the game and were channelling more of the emotional side of what Test cricket has to offer,” Elgar said in an online press conference.

For the unversed, it was Ashwin who dragged the broadcaster’s name over the shocking decision. “You should find better ways to win, SuperSport,” Ashwin was caught saying in the stump microphone. Even Erasmus was in a state of shock after seeing the replay as he said, “That is impossible” while shaking his head.

Virat Kohli went near the stump microphone and said: “Focus on your team as well when they are shining the ball and not just the opposition; trying to catch people all the time.” Vice-captain KL Rahul, who’s known for his calm demeanor,  also lost his cool. “The whole country playing against 11 guys,” he said.