India posted 215 and then reduced South Africa to 11 for two on day one of the third Test in Nagpur.
Murali Vijay top-scored with 40, with a cluster of other players also getting starts on which they were unable to build as India - boosted by 21 extras - posted the highest total of the series so far. Off-spinning all-rounder Simon Harmer finished with four for 78, and Morne Morkel three for 35.
The hosts were all out after 78.2 overs, though, leaving the tourists to negotiate an awkward nine overs with the bat. And that was ample time for India to send Stiaan van Zyl (nought) and nightwatchman Imran Tahir (four) back to the pavilion at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Leading 1-0 in the four-match series and looking to inflict a first away series defeat on the Proteas in nine years, the hosts opted to bat after winning an important toss.
With South African pace duo Morkel and Kagiso Rabada not having any joy, captain Hashim Amla opted for spin from both ends after eight overs.
And it was left-arm spinner Dean Elgar who made the breakthrough, taking a fine diving catch in front of the stumps off his own bowling to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan shortly after he and fellow opener Vijay had brought up their 50-run partnership.
Morkel celebrated the first of his three wickets when he snared Vijay lbw with an unplayable delivery.
Cheteshwar Pujara became the first scalp for Harmer - in the line-up ahead of Kyle Abbott - early in the afternoon session when he was trapped lbw playing across the line for 21.
Morkel then saw off Ajinkya Rahane for 13, removing his off stump with another terrific delivery, and in his next over dismissed Virat Kohli (22), inducing an outside edge from the India captain which was snapped up by wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.
Rohit Sharma added just two to the score before inside-edging Harmer onto his pad and the ball looped up to AB de Villiers at short leg.
Ravindra Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha dug in for a 48-run seventh-wicket partnership.
Jadeja survived a huge appeal in the 52nd over when, on 10, he was struck by a Rabada delivery which pitched outside leg stump.
He went on to make 34 before being bowled off an inside edge, becoming Rabada's only victim of the innings.
Saha, who earlier had a scare when a big nick off Rabada just failed to carry to Vilas, followed suit not too long after - for 32 - courtesy of a brilliant catch at mid-wicket by JP Duminy running to his left off the bowling of Harmer.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra got India to the highest total of the series so far - 215, helped by Vilas missing a stumping opportunity - but then fell in quick succession as the hosts' innings met a sudden end.
Ashwin was bowled between bat and pad by a Tahir googly for 15 from the final ball of the 78th over, and Mishra (three) was then trapped lbw playing across the line to Harmer from the second ball of the 79th.
The South African response got off to a shaky start, Elgar offering an edge that fell just short of wicketkeeper Saha off the bowling of Ishant Sharma from just the third ball.
But the hosts did not have to wait too long to pick up the first wicket, Ashwin the successful bowler as Van Zyl sent a thick outside edge to Rahane at first slip without troubling the scorers.
Tail-ender Tahir did not fare much better, his off stump taken out by Jadeja in the seventh over, leaving Elgar (seven not out) and Amla (nought not out) to see things through to stumps.
Source: PA
