JOHANNESBURG: Shardul Thakur took three wickets in 12 balls to wreck what had been a good morning for South Africa on the second day of the second Test against India at the Wanderers Stadium on Tuesday.
South Africa were 102 for four at the interval in reply to India’s 202 all out.
Keegan Petersen made 62, his maiden Test half-century, but fell to a loose drive off Thakur, caught by Mayank Agarwal at second slip two overs before lunch.
Thakur earlier ended a dogged innings by South African captain Dean Elgar, who edged a ball which seamed away from him after scoring 28 off 120 balls.
It took Elgar almost an hour to add to his overnight score of 11 as he and Petersen resisted some excellent bowling by Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah on a responsive pitch.
Mohammed Siraj, who left the field clutching his right hamstring shortly before the close on Monday, was back in action but bowled only four overs in Tuesday morning’s session.
Just when it seemed that South Africa had weathered the early bowling storm, Thakur’s brisk medium-pace undid their top order.
Rassie van der Dussen was Thakur’s third victim, caught off an inside edge which carried through to wicketkeeper Risabh Pant off his thigh pad.
