'Lord in action again' - Twitter reacts as Shardul Thakur runs through South Africa's batting order in Johannesburg Test

You just can’t keep Shardul Thakur out of the game! This player somehow knows how to create an impact. After all, there’s some reason why he’s hailed as ‘Lord.’ Just when India looked in all sorts of trouble in the ongoing second Test, the right-arm pacer stunned South Africa by taking three wickets in no time. His heroics changed the course of the game entirely as the hosts lost three wickets inside 14 runs.

For the unversed, India posted a paltry 202 while batting first at the Wanderers. With a mediocre total on the board, the visitors needed quick wickets with the new ball. While opener Aiden Markram fell prey to Mohammed Shami for 7, skipper Dean Elgar joined forces with Keegan Petersen and the duo showcased remarkable resilience. At 88/1, the Proteas looked in charge and stand-in skipper KL Rahul seemed short of options.

Shardul Thakur spitted venom with the red cherry

However, at the brink of lunch, Rahul threw the ball to Shardul, and oh boy, the fast bowler didn’t disappoint. The 28-year-old delivered a stupendous spell and all of a sudden, the momentum tilted towards India’s favour. Dean Elgar, Keegan Petersen, and Rassie van der Dussen were Shardul’s three victims before lunch.

As a result, the Proteas side was reduced to 102/4, trailing by 100 runs. With the track having substantial assistance for bowlers, it won’t be easy for the remaining South African batters to create an impact. Hence, India would back themselves to bundle the home team out as soon as possible. This clash is certainly hanging in balance and it would be interesting to see how the proceedings pan out.

It must be noted that regular Indian skipper Virat Kohli is giving the ongoing contest a miss due to an upper back spasm. Hence, KL Rahul took over the charge in his absence with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah serving as his deputy. Having won the opening Test by 113 runs in Centurion, India have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and a victory in the ongoing contest would see India winning their maiden Test series on South African soil.

Meanwhile, let’s look at how Twitterati reacted to Shardul Thakur’s fiery spell:  

https://twitter.com/AbdullahNeaz/status/1478314102661419008?s=20