Shardul Thakur picked up a dream seven-wicket haul as India bowled out South Africa for 229 in their first innings on the second day of the second Test in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Introduced late into the attack on day two after bowling just one ball on Monday, Thakur ran through the hosts’ batting line-up with figures of 7 for 61 after Keegan Petersen struck a fine half-century before lunch.

Data check: With stunning 7-for, Shardul Thakur registers best Test figures for India against SA

Thakur, bowling at brisk medium-pace on a responsive pitch, twice broke promising partnerships by the South Africans and then followed up by dismissing the more dominant partner as well.

South African captain Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen put on 74 for the second wicket and seemed to be taking control after surviving a challenging first hour against the bowling of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

But then Thakur had Elgar caught behind for 28 and Petersen caught at second slip for an impressive 62.

He added a third wicket when Rassie van der Dussen was caught behind for one in the last over before lunch.

Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne put up a good partnership and Thakur accounted for them too, before finishing with wickets of Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi.

Here are some reactions to Thakur’s bowling performance:

Brief Scores:

India 1st innings: 202 all out in 63.1 overs. (Mayank Agarwal 26, KL Rahul 50; Duanne Olivier 3/64, Marco Jansen 4/31, Kagiso Rabada 3/64).

South Africa 1st innings: 229 all out in 79.4 overs (Keegan Petersen 62; Shardul Thakur 7/61).