Top 3 Indian bowling performances in the Test series against South Africa

Team India failed to conquer the "final frontier" despite starting the three-Test series on a winning note. After a memorable victory in Centurion, the visitors tasted defeat in the next two fixtures in Johannesburg and Cape Town as they lost yet another Test series in South Africa.

Indian batters, bowlers and even fielders failed to step up at crucial junctures in the second and third Tests, which eventually led to their downfall. Nevertheless, there were some memorable bowling performances from the Indians during the three-Test series, much to the delight of the fans back home.

On that note, let's look at India's top three bowling performances in the recently concluded Test series against South Africa.

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#1 Shardul Thakur's 7/61 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg (2nd Test)

Shadul Thakur registered the best Test figures by an Indian bowler against South Africa in the second Test match at Johannesburg

During their previous tour of South Africa back in January 2018, Virat Kohli's men emerged victorious at the Wanderers Stadium, beating the Faf du Plessis-led Proteas side.

This time around, although Kohli was ruled out of the second Test due to upper-back spasms, Team India, under KL Rahul's captaincy, headed into the game with a positive mindset, having won the first game to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Batting first, India failed to put up a decent total and were dismissed for just 202 runs. But thanks to Shardul Thakur's dream spell, which will probably go down as one of the best performances away from home by an Indian seamer, the visitors restricted South Africa to 229 runs.

Thakur tormented the Proteas batters and returned with figures of 7/61 - the best by an Indian bowler against South Africa in Tests.

The 30-year-old also became the first Indian bowler to pick up seven wickets in an innings in South Africa. In addition, he is now the second-fastest Indian to pick up a seven-wicket-haul in Tests.

India, however, went on to lose the Test by seven wickets despite setting South Africa a challenging 240-run target.

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#2 Jasprit Bumrah's 5/42 at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town (3rd Test)

Bumrah's love for the Newlands continued as he picked up a five-wicket haul in the same venue where he made his Test debut four years ago

With the rubber level at 1-1, both teams entered the third Test in search of the series-clinching victory. Opting to bat first, Team India posted 223 runs before bowling out the hosts for just 210, thereby taking a 13-run first-innings lead.

Jasprit Bumrah, who made his Test debut at the same venue four years ago, was on song and claimed his seventh five-wicket haul in the longest format, returning with figures of 5/42.

It was Bumrah who dismissed South African top-scorer Keegan Petersen (72 off 166 balls). The right-hander looked set at the crease despite wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end.

Unfortunately, the Indian batters, apart from Rishabh Pant, failed to capitalize on Bumrah's excellent display and could only set South Africa a 212-run target. The hosts easily chased it down with the loss of just three wickets.

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#3 Mohammed Shami's 5/44 at SuperSport Park in Centurion (1st Test)

Mohammed Shami achieved the milestone of 200 Test wickets in the first Test at Centurion

Mohammed Shami, who was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Test series during India's previous tour of South Africa, replicated his performance this time around. He finished as the visitors' highest wicket-taker in the three-Test series with 14 scalps to his name.

The 31-year-old reached the milestone of taking 200 Test wickets in the first innings at Centurion, following his sixth five-wicket haul in the longest format.

Shami, who returned with figures of 5/44, became only the fifth Indian pacer to pick up 200 Test wickets. In total, 10 other Indian bowlers achieved the feat before him.

Coincidentally, the right-handed pacer claimed his 100th Test wicket at the very same venue when Virat Kohli's men toured South Africa four years ago.