Shardul Thakur's heroics helps seamer break multiple records, achieves rare feat to join former England pacer

Shardul Thakur picked seven wickets on Day 2 of the ongoing Johannesburg Test, helping India bundle out South Africa on 229 in their first innings.

Shardul Thakur continued his terrific form as he completed his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket. The 30-year-old seamer picked seven wickets on Day 2 of the ongoing Johannesburg Test, helping India bundle out South Africa on 229 in their first innings.

Shardul Thakur celebrates after taking the wicket of Lungi Ngidi (REUTERS)

Thakur returned with clinical figures, which read 7/61, and the seamer now holds the record for best innings figures among the Indian bowlers in South Africa. He overtook Harbhajan Singh in the process, who had scalped the same number of wickets in the Cape Town Test during India's tour in 2010-11.

7/61 S Thakur, Joburg 2021/22 *

7/120 Harbhajan Singh, Cape Town 2010/11

6/53 A Kumble, Joburg 1992/93

6/76 J Srinath, Port Elizabeth 2001/02

6/138 R Jadeja, Durban 2013/14

Not only this, Thakur now also holds the record for best bowling figures by an Indian against South Africa in a Test innings. He tumbled R Ashwin to go top of the charts in this category.

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Best innings figures for India vs SA

7/61 S Thakur, Joburg 2021/22 *

7/66 R Ashwin, Nagpur 2015/16

7/87 Harbhajan Singh, Kolkata 2004/05

7/120 Harbhajan Singh, Cape Town 2010/11

Thakur's heroics also saw him script a unique feat as he now has the joint-best figures by any bowler at the venue since South Africa's re-admission in 1992. Former England pacer Matthew Hoggard had returned with the exact figures against South Africa, a feat which he completed in 2004-05.

Thakur kicked-off Day 2 by removing South Africa captain Dean Elgar on 28 and went on to dismiss Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen in the opening session.

The 30-year-old carried forward the momentum in the second session and went on to dismiss wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne, Temba Bavuma, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi in the second session.

Apart from Thakur, Mohammed Shami picked two more wickets while Jasprit Bumrah scalped one as the hosts piled 229/10 in response to India's first-inning total of 202. South Africa took a slender lead of 27 runs.