Essex have confirmed the signing of Dean Elgar as one of their overseas players on a three-year contract.
Elgar, 36, made his 86th and final Test appearance for South Africa earlier this month, having announced his decision to retire before the India series. He had been linked with a move to Essex since the end of the 2023 county season, with the club looking for an experienced top-order batter to replace Alastair Cook.
Elgar, who captained his country in 18 Tests, has previously had stints in the county game at Somerset and Surrey. He will head to Chelmsford to play alongside international team-mate Simon Harmer, the spinner who has been a key part of Essex's success in recent years.
"I'm thrilled to embark on this new chapter of my cricketing journey with Essex," Elgar said. "The club have been pushing for honours in recent years and I'm eager to contribute to further success.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed my previous experiences in county cricket and I'm really looking forward to joining up with the squad ahead of season."
After much speculation, Cook called time on his celebrated career in October. The former England captain had contributed more than 4000 runs at 41.63 in five seasons back in the county game, following his international retirement in 2018, and Essex quickly identified Elgar as the man to provide a similar level of grit at opener.
Elgar scored 5347 runs at 37.92 for South Africa in Tests, which included making his 14th Test century - a seven-hour 185 - in his penultimate appearance, setting up an innings victory over India in the Boxing Day Test at Centurion. However, with South Africa having scheduled very little Test cricket over the next two years, he had been informed by red-ball coach Shukri Conrad that he was not part of the team's long-term plans.
Anthony McGrath, Essex's head coach, said: "Dean brings a wealth of talent and experience that will undoubtedly strengthen our squad for the 2024 season.
"He has had an outstanding career in Test cricket and has demonstrated to the world his desire to score runs at the highest level, right up until he retired. His achievements in the international arena speak volumes about his capabilities and we are excited to witness his impact at Essex."
Elgar is set to join up with Essex, alongside fellow new signing Jordan Cox, ahead of the club's pre-season tour of Abu Dhabi in March.