But the tenacious left-hander is jolly determined and his undefeated century has helped set up a sturdy platform for South Africa.
The Proteas are 229 for four at stumps on day one of their test against New Zealand at the University Oval.
Elgar defied a disciplined home attack and battled through a tricky opening hour or so where he lost three of his teammates.
He was dropped on 36 but, other than that, his gritty innings of 128 was more or less flawless.
''Fortune was on my side today,'' he said.
Yes, but actually it had more to do with his powers of concentration. That opening hour was difficult.
The bounce was inconsistent. Trent Boult was getting swing and there was a little nip in the pitch as well.
''It was right up there with one of the tougher days of test cricket so far in my career.
''It was hard graft and we knew that, given maybe another hour, things would settle down.''
It took a little longer than that. Neil Wagner struck twice shortly after the drinks break.
Hashim Amla was lured into an expansive drive but got none of it. The ball clattered into the stumps and Amla left wishing he had moved his feet even just a little bit.
Then JP Duminy got a brutal bouncer that reared up, kissed off the gloves, thudded into the grille and ended up in the hands of first slip and birthday boy Ross Taylor - he turned 33.
South Africa had slumped to 22 for three. But the arrival of the captain, Faf du Plessis, signalled a subtle shift in momentum. He got a good stride in to meet a Wagner delivery and dispatched a confident drive. Suddenly, batting looked a shade easier.
The pair put on 126 for the fourth wicket. While they did not take the game away from New Zealand in terms of their scoring rate, the Black Caps will have to bat last on the surface and that is shaping as a challenge.
When the Black Caps took the second new ball late in the day, batting became awkward again. Any fourth-innings chase will be a daunting challenge.
Boult got the initial breakthrough. Opener Stephen Cook shouldered arms to a ball that swung in late and would have crashed into the top of middle and off.
He trundled off for three with his side 10 for one.
Then Wagner produced two tremendous deliveries after drinks.
Elgar's innings should have come to a close on 36. He got a tickle on a legside delivery and keeper BJ Watling pouched the ball but could not hold on to it.
Du Plessis got one edge wide of Taylor but he was solid as well. They wore down the New Zealand attack, bringing up a 100-run stand and moving their side into a much healthier position.
By the time Jimmy Neesham came on to bowl, Elgar was into his stride and rocked back and clipped him backward of square for a brace of boundaries. A third was more of a thick edge but still found its way to the rope.
Neesham's second over was all action as well. He trapped du Plessis lbw only for the decision to be overturned upon review thanks to a wee inside edge.
But du Plessis took on a short ball moments later and top edged it to Boult at deep square leg for 52.
Elgar brought up his seventh 100 with a boundary to midwicket and celebrated on the run.
''I'm not very talented and free-scoring like other guys are, so you have to use your advantages, and that is obviously my ability - to guts it out.''
