Dale Steyn takes career-best figures (Statistical highlights)

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NAGPUR - South African paceman Dale Steyn recorded his career-best figures during the third day’ play of the first cricket Test against India here Monday.

Steyn (7-51) surpassed his previous best of 6 for 49 against New Zealand at Centurion in 2007-08. He also claimed 6 for 72 against West Indies at Durban in January 2008.

Steyn’s figures (16.4-6-51-7) are now the second best at Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium (VCAS), Jamtha. Jason Krejza had captured 8 for 215 for Australia in 2008-09. With four for 143 in the second outings, he became the first and only spinner to take twelve wickets in a Test match against India in India.

Other highlights of the day’s play.

# Virender Sehwag posted his 18th Test hundred, fourth against South Africa.

# Sehwag equalled Mohammad Azharuddin’s tally and both now share a record for the most centuries in India-South Africa Tests.

# Sehwag, in his last five Tests, has registered three centuries - 131 against Sri Lanka at Kanpur and 293 at Mumbai and 109 against South Africa at Nagpur.

# Sehwag became the first to make three innings of fifty-plus in succession at VCAS.

# Sehwag became the second Indian batsman after Sachin Tendulkar (109 against Australia) to register a hundred at VCAS, Jamtha.

# India (223) have posted their lowest completed innings total at VCAS, eclipsing the 295 in the second innings against Australia in the only previous Test played at this venue.

# India have collapsed dramatically from 221 for four to 233 all-out - their worst collapse against South Africa when they lost six wickets.

# Sehwag and Badrinath recorded a partnership of 136 - India’s highest for the fourth wicket against South Africa in India, beating the 96 between Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly at Kanpur in November 2004.

# Badrinath (56) has become the 21st Indian to register a half-century in debut innings in Tests.

# Steyn’s outstanding performance is the second best in India-South Africa Tests - the best being Lance Klusener’s 8 for 64 at Kolkata in 1996-97.

# Besides Klusener and Steyn, the only other to perform the feat for South Africa is Allan Donald - 7 for 84 in the 1992-93 Port Elizabeth Test.

# For India, the only one to take seven wickets in an innings against South Africa is Harbhajan Singh - 7 for 87 at Kolkata in 2004-05.

# Steyn’s previous best figures in an overseas Test were 5 for 23 against India at Ahmedabad in April 2008.

# Steyn’s 13th five-wicket haul in Tests is his second against India.

# A follow-on has been enforced by any team for the first time in India-South Africa series.