"Scream, run, hide... Lord Shardul wants to take a bite" - Twitterati hails all-rounder's triple strike in 2nd India vs South Africa Test

He has done it again. Shardul Thakur sent back three South African batters within four overs to turn around the second Test in India's favor in Johannesburg.

Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen defied everything Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami threw at them in the second session. They were defensively solid, but were a bit lucky on a few occasions. Stand-in captain KL Rahul, who was being criticized for not bringing in Thakur, finally obliged in the 37th over.

Thakur took just 10 deliveries to get Elgar out for 28 with a ball that shaped away from the left-hander. Two overs later, Thakur got rid of Petersen, who was looking poised for a big score at 62. The right-handed batter went chasing after a wide delivery that bounced and moved away from him more than he expected.

If breaking a 35-over partnership and getting a half-centurion out weren't enough, the man with the golden arm then dismissed Rassie van der Dussen for 1 in the final over before Lunch. The pacer got the batter to nick it off the inside edge and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant grabbed a sharp catch diving forward.

As expected, Twitter erupted in appreciation for its favorite cricketer, hailing 'Lord' Shardul Thakur for his spell and keeping on with his game-changing habits. Here are the best of the reactions:

Shardul Thakur's spell puts India in front

South Africa were looking set to take a big first-innings lead, but Thakur's resistance reduced them to 102/4, almost crushing that prospect.

The hosts are playing a thinner batting lineup than they did in the first Test, with only two recognized batters in Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne remaining in the hut.

While Marco Jansen has all-rounder skills and Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj can bat as well, it will be anything but easy on this bouncy wicket.

The Indians have their tails up and will look to get a few more wickets in the post-Lunch session.