India lead the top-ranked Test team 2-0 in the four-match series, the second match washed out after the first day. South Africa was all out for 121 giving Indian mammoth 213 first innings lead.
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The Proteas have passed 200 just once in six innings during the series and, after being bowled out for 79 in the previous Test, there was no let up as India honed in on a win that will confirm their move up to second in the ICC’s Test rankings. India’s quest for quick runs to bury South Africa were jolted by two ripping deliveries from Morkel inside the first seven overs of the day, which set in motion a morning session of old fashioned, get-down-and-dirty cricket.
Morkel struck again with the first ball of his next over to dismiss the struggling Rohit Sharma for a golden duck, the ball zipping past his bat and flattening the off-stump.
The hosts have extended their lead to 403 before bad light forced early stumps with Kohli and Rahane remaining unbeaten on their respective scores of 83 and 52.
Vijay was dismissed for three after he gloved the ball to the wicketkeeper after he received a short pitched delivery from Morkel. Rahane and Kohli have ensured that India do not lose a single wicket in the entire session, which has been a rarity in this series.
The best bowler for South Africa undoubtedly was Morne Morkel (3/29 in 17 overs), who bowled a scorching yorker to get Dhawan out.
Kohli and Rahane put on 133 (unfinished)- India’s highest for the fifth wicket vs South Africa in Tests in India, surpassing the 110 between Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly at Ahmedabad in April 2008.
Kyle Abbott, the other pacer in the South African attack, also bowled well, and will perhaps consider himself unlucky not to come away with a wicket.
Pujara whipped Dane Piedt through midwicket for a boundary even though he faced some difficulty while facing Kyle Abbott before getting a couple of streaky boundaries. Their partnership happens to be the first hundred-run stand of the series.
Bruce Oxenford once again raised the finger and Kohli made his disappointment clear by standing at the crease for several seconds.
First it was Pujara (who played 79 balls) who tried to cut one from Tahir that stayed low and knocked his off-stump.
Celebration followed with Rahane launching off-spinner Dane Piedt over mid-wicket and long on for two sixes in three deliveries.
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Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Vijay, 4.6 overs), 2-8 (R Sharma, 6.1), 3-53 (Dhawan, 28.6), 4-57 (Pujara, 31.1).
