How can anyone with any knowledge of cricket want Elgar as Proteas Captain?

The fact is that Elgar since 2019 had a spotty record as a batsman and a really questionable record in fielding.    The only exception was the Srilanka series - where the bowling attack of the  was destriyed by injuries and even the disastrous Faf du Plessis made runs.

How can anyone think that Elgar should be considered as Captain.   In a newspaper article  reference was made to Allan Bprder - when the Aussies did not make hay and effectively in decline.    Players as they fget older suffers from deficient eye-hand co-ordination and to get Elgar soon to be 34 years old as captain is about as stupid as Meyer was aas Springbok coach.   It will be a disaster,

New Reeza Hendricks claims he should be a fixture in the Proteas team,    He was good in the recent T20 series - but was a total disaster whenever he was selected to play for the Proteas.   Some players cannot make the step up from provincial to national level and Reeza is a typical example of that.    That will not change in future and if he is selected he would be a disgraceful failure unless the Proteas play Namibia or Zimbabwe.

Of the batsmen in the T20 series and the provincial cricket over the last three months - the rising stars gunning for selection show the most potential.   I still support Van Tonder is the only real potential captain.      

We all know that Bavuma is the one to be named Captain.

Spotty record but the correct color.

No debate.

Done.

Dave 

If  they wanted to make Markram the captain they would have done so already,.    But they did not and that is what makes me wonder,    The comments of Boucher a while  back on the captaincy issue is what swayed me as well,  He said they want to bring new players on board and see whi puts up his hand as captain.   

Something must bother them about Markram  as captain - why did Bucher referred to :platers putting up his hand of they see Markram  as captain.  He is a known factor = nit O thionk thatc captaincy may effect his batting detrimentally.

Van Tonder would already have started his test career if ir was not for his finger injury before the SriLanka tests,    

There is a problem though - Markram could have  a problem when it comes to batting in the shorter versions of the game and may not make the line-up in the shorter version line-ups.            

I may in your book be stupid - but unfortunately I am a realist and that is missing in your case,  Anyone basing performance evaluation om the SriLankan tests  is losing perspective - even the normally Di Plessis made oodles of runs against them.

All I said clearly is that there is  perceived problem that captaincy  could effect his barring abd U gave a feeling you  are barking up the wrong tree in his case.     

It's a tough call with arguments for and against and no one being outstanding. My guess, not my choice is Bavuma.

Dave

Did Graeme Smith have three seasons of test cricket behind him when he became captain?   

Dave 

Get it straight - I like Markram as a player and  always supported his selection.    However, I would not putt 4 cents on him being appointed as permanent captain - even though I feel it would be a vast improvement on what we had over the last two years,

However, there may be reasons that Smith nd Boucher is not entirely convinced that he should be the captain.   Why was Markram not appointed when they asked De Kock to take o the captaincy on a temporary basis?    There were four tests played and if the powers to be was happy with Markram and since De Kock was forced into accepting the temporary  captaincy. the way was in fact clear to appoint him - but they did not.    

I do not think that Van der Linde, Bavuma and Maharaj will be considered  either for a variety of reasons.   So what may happen is another temporary captain for the test series this year, while options will be considered.      

Same here, Mike.

I rate Markram but he needs a kick up the pants. 

He's not a slapgat or lazy. He is just in his own head too much. Wether it's arrogance or insecurity...something isn't right. 

I get the feeling that the more he concentrates the more pressure he feels. I'm probably wrong but it looks like he can't sufficiently compartmentalise the different mental challenges of batting. He does have all the shots and great technique but he falls too easily against deliveries that he shouldn't get out to. To me that's a sign that something is affecting his mind and thus his shot selection.

Drop him from the shorter version and let him go back to his franchise so that he can remember what got him into the Proteas side.

How can years of  fluctuating performances  by Markram be changed by two tests in Pakistan - both lost by his team?     

Geez, Saffex

Calm down bro.

Against Sri Lanka he batted on home tracks against a depleted bowling attack.

He did well against Pakistan but let's not forget that it was his first hundred in yonks and that his test average is just smidge above 40.

I'm not saying that he isn't good enough. I'm saying that his dismissals are often times unnecessary and to me it looks like he has problems with some of the mental side of batting. Nothing that can't be fixed...I hope.

Also, I'm not the first person to talk about what seems to be a bit of psychological frailty as far as Markram is concerned. 

I'm not sure why T20 has become the yardstick for assessing a batsman's performance. 

Denny 

Who are you writing about as to  T20 performances?   

Markram

"I'm not sure why T20 has become the yardstick for assessing a batsman's performance." 

Lol...it(T20) is a good yardstick when you're discussing limited overs performances. Which is what I was doing. You'll note that I said he should be dropped for the limited overs squad for a period. 

Saffex, let's see how he does going forward. I stand by my opinion that he has some gremlins to deal with.

"Saffex, let's see how he does going forward. I stand by my opinion that he has some gremlins to deal with."

The way he went out in his last test after getting the ton was telling too... he still has a few issues, making him captain now might seriously hamper his game...give him some time to enjoy his new found form.