'Not going to be a pushover' – Elgar says South Africa have learnt from 2015

The visitors were reduced to 39/3, 463 runs behind India's first innings 502/7 declared on the second day. Elgar then revived their innings with a fluent century, first sharing a 115-run stand with skipper Faf du Plessis (55) and then a 164-run partnership with Quinton de Kock, who also scored an impressive 111.

"Any three-figure mark for South Africa is a massive moment for me. It's always an emotional time," Elgar said of his 287-ball knock, which featured 18 fours and four sixes. "A lot of hard graft has happened in the previous series where you have failed. You look back and you realise that it's very special. Even in the trying conditions that we have, we have not experienced heat like this back home.

"The wicket obviously wears down quite quickly. I'd like to think it may be my best hundred I have had for South Africa, especially playing against the prowess of India and to show them that last time [in 2015] was a little bit easier, but this time it is not going to be a pushover."

In 2015, when South Africa last toured India for a four-Test series, the home side won 3-0. Elgar made just 137 runs at 19.57 in a low-scoring series, with a top score of just 38.

He admitted his side were wary of the challenge of facing India in their backyard, and added that the experience of the previous series had helped them coming into the ongoing series. "We knew it was going to be tough," he said. "We knew we were going to be facing quality bowlers on a wearing pitch.

"But I always had the hope that if we knuckle down and give ourselves a chance, the best chance to try and score, give us a platform to allow us to express ourselves a little bit, we could always get to the position we are [in].

"A lot of stern messages were given out this morning in the huddle, and it is nice to see that the new faces or even the older faces knuckle down and do their bit for the side. It is tough playing Test cricket in India.

"You are always up against it, they are always coming at you. But I felt, with previous experiences of playing against them, that if you apply yourself, you give yourself the opportunity, you can get there."