By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIA seamer Shardul Thakur picked a five-wicket haul on the second day of the second Test match against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday (4) to help his team claw back into the game after the visitors were skittled out for 202 runs on the first day.
It was Thakur’s first five-for in the long format.
The Proteas were 191 for 7 at tea on the second day, trailing India by 11 runs.
ALSO READ: India bowled out for 202 on Day 1 of 2nd Test
Thakur, who went wicketless on the first day, took three wickets in just 12 balls to wreck what looked to be a good morning for the hosts who resumed on their overnight score of 35 for 1. Captain Deal Elgar (28) and Keegan Peterson (62) added 53 more runs when Thakur dismissed him. The Indian pacer took five wickets for 43 runs.
KL Rahul replaces injured Virat Kohli as India captain in second Test
He picked Peterson and Rassie van der Dussen (1) in consecutive overs to leave the home team reeling at 102 for 4. Temba Bavuma (51) and wicket-keeper-batter Kyle Verreynne (21), who was picked in the playing XI after Quinton de Kock suddenly quit after the first Test in Centurion, added 60 vital runs but Thakur came back to dismiss both. Mohammed Shami, who took the wicket of opener Aiden Markram (7) on the first day, was India’s other successful bowler and dismissed Kagiso Rabada (0) on the second. Marco Jansen (2 not out) and Keshav Maharaj (11 not out) were the two unbeaten batters at tea break.
Jasprit Bumrah, who is playing as India’s vice captain in this match, produced some excellent show with the ball but remained wicketless till tea. Ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also failed to get a wicket.
India are leading the series 1-0 and a win at Wanderers will see them making history by winning their first-ever Test series in South Africa.