Johannesburg: A sensational bowling performance by Shardul Thakur (3/8) helped India reduce South Africa 102/4 at lunch on Day 2 of the second Test at The Wanderers Stadium, here on Tuesday.
Resuming the day at 35/1, South Africa added 67 runs and lost three key wickets in the morning session, still trailing India by 100 runs.
It was a contrasting start for Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen against the visitors. Petersen began the day with a confident backfoot punch through cover for three runs off Bumrah and a four to fine leg but Elgar, at the other end wasn’t too comfortable against the Indian pacers.
The Proteas captain even survived a catching dismissal as India went up in appeal for a caught behind off Bumrah, with Elgar jamming his bat down outside off. There appeared a deflection but the on field umpires weren’t sure and went upstairs, with the soft signal being out.
But the third umpire ruled that the bat hit the ground and not the ball, giving the batter not out.
With the second-wicket partnership going well for the hosts, India brought Siraj into the attack in the 29th over. But he wasn’t at his absolute best, not being able to steam in full throttle due to the injury the pacer seemed to have suffered on Day 1.
However, he seemed to be getting into his rhythm and pace with every passing over.
It was Shardul Thakur, who gave India the first breakthrough of the day, dismissing Elgar for 28 off 120. It was pitched on a length and shaped away a bit. Elgar, who had a poke at it, got a faint nick to the wicket-keeper, thus ending a 74-run second-wicket stand which came off 211 deliveries.
Meanwhile, Petersen, who looked in solid touch brought up his maiden Test fifty with a boundary off Shami. However, he probably got carried away thereafter and fell to Thakur on 62 as he pushed at a length delivery and edged it to Mayank Agarwal at second slip.
Shardul got his third wicket of the morning by removing Rassie van der Dussen (1), who looked to defend but got an inside edge through to the wicket-keeper, leaving South Africa at 102/4 at lunch.
Earlier, a solid bowling performance, led by Marco Jansen’s 4/31, helped South Africa bowl out India at 202 in their first innings on Day 1.
Brief scores: India 202 all out in 63.1 overs (KL Rahul 50, Ravichandran Ashwin 46; Marco Jansen 4/31, Kagiso Rabada 3/64) vs South Africa 102/4 in 44.4 overs (Keegan Petersen 62, Dean Elgar 28; Shardul Thakur 3/8).
–IANS
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