Proteas skipper Dean Elgar takes leadership to his heart, relishes success of 'We' guys

South Africa started their new era with Dean Elgar as the leader on a high note against West Indies, and the skipper is not hiding his delight one bit. 

Reflecting on the start of his captaincy and his methods of leading the side, Elgar emphasized that for him the team matters over everything else including his own opinion. 

He said that a leader can lead a side by following two ways: either by taking things into their heads or into their hearts and that for him it’s heart over head in matter solely about the team.

"You can take it to your head or you can take it to your heart." I like to think I have taken it to my heart," he said. "I am not a 'me' guy; I am a 'we' guy. For me, it's about the team."

He said that leadership has been an important part of his life and he has never shied away from the responsibility of leading his sides from the front. He patted himself on the back saying that he has maintained a great stature as someone who has always stood up to be counted for his side.

"It's something I've always thought I have been born with. I have always been a leader, at school, club cricket through franchise cricket. I always like to think I've led from the front," he said. "I am a small guy in stature but a big guy when it comes to standing up and being the representer. It's a massive honour. I don't shy away from that responsibility, and I don't shy away from saying that,” Elgar added.

The wins over West Indies did not come easy for the Proteas as their batsmen struggled against an impressive pace battery comprising Shanon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Jason Holder. However, the Proteas pacers were more dangerous against a below-par West Indies batting lineup, and Elgar was full of praises for his pacers.

"We've struggled and it's not fine for us that we've struggled. We've addressed that and we've been trying to work on it. The biggest thing is to attack your weaknesses to try to make them strengths,” Elgar said about South Africa’s batting problems.

"KG, Anna (Anrich Nortje) and Lungi (Ngidi) are a formidable threesome. They put the fear of God in the batters' eyes. They are a machine," he said. "Their roles are so different and their roles are so big. Each guy is different in their own right. They complement each other so well."

Elgar also demanded a lot of ‘respect’ for Keshav Maharaj, who took a hattrick in the second Test to decimate West Indies’ chances of chasing down the total. He pointed out that the left-arm spinner bagged a five-wicket haul on a surface not so much conducive to spin bowling and commended his attitude for not accepting being a ‘second best’ player.

"Kesh is a massive player for the Proteas. What he does goes so unnoticed. He needs to get more respect. He got a Test five-for on a wicket that wasn't turning against West Indies, away from home. That's huge. He is a big player. He is going to become a better player going forward. He is not going to stop there. He doesn't sound like being second best,” Elgar added.

South Africa will now play an ODI and T20 series against West Indies, but Elgar, who has not been part of white-ball squads for the Proteas will head back home relishing a series win in the first series as the leader of the pack.