'Can't believe it's his last series' - Dean Elgar's marathon knock puts South Africa on top, Shardul Thakur breaks match-defining stand

India finally managed to break the frustrating sixth-wicket partnership between Dean Elgar and Marco Jansen on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion. However, the duo had already added 111 runs, getting their team to a healthy lead of 115.

Dean Elgar started the day at 140, with South Africa having a lead of 11 runs. The southpaw played some glorious strokes and received great support from Jansen. Rohit Sharma tried all his bowling options but Elgar and Jansen kept on grinding it out and stretching South Africa's first-innings lead.

Elgar was looking set to notch up his maiden Test double century. Cricket enthusiasts would remember that he was dismissed for 199 at Potchefstroom against Bangladesh, six years ago. On his home ground, Elgar was in line to exorcise the demons of Potchefstroom until he got his gloves onto a Shardul Thakur short ball which went through to the wicketkeeper. Elgar's vigil ended at 185 off 287 balls as the fans gave him a standing ovation on his way back to the dressing room.

Elgar's solid knock comprised as many as 28 boundaries. He batted for more than 400 minutes on a track that wasn't the easiest for batting.

South Africa lead by 147 at Lunch on Day 3

In the ongoing boxing day Test of the series, Team India persisted with the short-pitch bowling after Elgar's dismissal. Gerald Coetzee and Jansen took on the bowling and added 31 runs off 26 balls. Ravichandran Ashwin had been toiling hard and also had a couple of catches dropped off his bowling. However, in the end, he got a much-deserved wicket, dismissing Coetzee for 19.

Kagiso Rabada joined Jansen at the crease and they negotiated the five deliveries that were left before Lunch. The latter is batting on 72 off 120 balls and will look to get to a maiden Test century in the second session. India, on the other hand, will want to pick up the remaining three wickets quickly as the Proteas are already ahead by a commanding 147 runs.

Meanwhile, here's how 'X' users reacted to Dean Elgar's sensational knock: