Second Test: Shardul takes five wickets, SA score 191/7 at tea
Johannesburg/UNI: A five-wicket haul by Shardul Thakur further added to the miseries of South Africa 191/7 at tea against India on Day 2 of the second Test here at the Wanderers stadium on Tuesday.
South Africa added 89 runs in the second session but lost three more wickets thanks to Shardul's first five-fer in the format.
Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne stood strong against the Indian attack consisting Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami and continued to slowly rebuild their team's innings.
However, Shardul once again got the much-needed breakthrough when the partnership was soaring. The pacer trapped Verreynne for 21 and got rid of Bavuma, who was caught behind for 51. Shami joined the party and removed Kagiso Rabada as he holed out to mid on for a duck.
Earlier, Keegan Peterson batted brilliantly and brought up his maiden Test half-century before Shardul tilted the match in India's favour.
South Africa owned one and a half hour of the play in the first session but India used just the half hour to tilt the balance towards them.
Peterson and Dean Elgar frustrated Indian attack and added 53 runs for the second wicket before the commencement of Shardul's show.
The pacer got the much-needed breakthrough as Elgar was dismissed for 28 with a lovely ball that moved away off the seam and South Africa captain nicked behind to wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant.
Peterson played a knock of 62 runs off 118 balls, which included nine boundaries. The batter became Shardul's second victim as he fished an outside off and eventually got caught at second slip.
At the stroke of lunch, Shardul delivered a game-turning spell. He dismissed Rassie van der Dussen, who was caught behind cheaply for one.
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