Playing county cricket has helped me play spin better: Dean Elgar

Opener Dean Elgar said he may have me his best hundred for South Africa on Friday in first Test against India here and credited county cricket, including his battles with R Ashwin re, for making him a better batsman against quality spin. Elgar me 160 off 287 balls, leing South Africa's fightback on day three here. "Any three-figure mark for South Africa is a massive moment for me. It's always an emotional time. A lot of hard graft has happened in previous series where you have failed. You look back and you realise that it's very special. Even in trying conditions that we have, we have t experienced heat like this back home," Elgar said at press conference after day's play.

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Strong comeback after disastrous last tour

" wicket obviously wears down quite quickly. I'd like to think it may be my best hundred I have h for South Africa, especially playing against prowess of India and to show m that last time was a little bit easier but this time it is t going to be a pushover," said Elgar. Elgar was among South African batsmen who h a disastrous tour of India four years ago. Even on Friday, South Africa were up against wall at one st it but Elgar and Quinton de Kock (111 off 163 balls) put ir team back in game with memorable kcks. southpaw said he learnt a lot from his past mistakes ahe of his second series in India. "We knew it was going to be tough. We knew we were going to be facing quality bowlers on a wearing pitch. But I always h hope that if we knuckle down and give ourselves a chance, best chance to try and score, give us a platform to allow us to express ourselves a little bit, we could always get to position we are.

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'Tough playing Test cricket in India'

"A lot of stern messs were given out this morning in huddle and it is nice to see that new faces or even older faces knuckle down and do ir bit for side. It is tough playing Test cricket in India. You are always up against it, y are always coming at you. But I felt with previous experiences of playing against m that if you apply yourself, you give yourself opportunity, you can get re." He said he learnt importance of his defensive game from previous experience of playing against Indians. " previous stats and history of playing against m proves that if you allow yourself time, you give yourself a bit of opportunity with your defensive game, your attacking game will come naturally and you will be able to get into position that you are w." Ashwin h won battles against Elgar in county cricket earlier this year but on Friday, South African got better of him. However, Elgar said bowler does t matter to him.

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Elgar on playing Ashwin

"I'm t playing player, I'm playing ball that is coming my way w. He (Ashwin) can get me out ar 10 times, I could t care. I am trying to perform, face a ball coming my way. If you face a 100 balls, sooner or later he is going to get you a few times. That is just nature of facing him over and over. He is just going to get you out," he said. "I'm t going to think how many times he has got me out or how many times he is going to get me out which I'm comfortable with. I approach ball coming my way." Words were exchanged when two faced-off in South Africa last year but on Friday, Elgar let his bat do talking. ", he (Ashwin) seemed quite quiet today," quipped opening batsman. "He's a phemenal bowler and it's always a good challenge to face. I'll always appreciate moments we get to play on field. I'm t going to say anything, just try and let my bat do talking. I night have won today, but re is still many many battles."

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