India sitting pretty on 190 for four in their second innings to swell their lead to a massive 403 runs.
Captain Virat Kohli roared back to form with a scintillating unbeaten 83, while Ajinkya Rahane was unbeaten on 52 as the duo put on the first hundred-run partnership of the series.
Captain Virat Kohli roared back to form with a scintillating unbeaten 83 as India further consolidated their position with whopping overall lead of 403 runs at stumps on Day 3 of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Saturday.
- Scorecard
At stumps on the third day, India were sitting pretty on 190 for four in their second innings courtesy of the 133-run stand for the fifth wicket between Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane before play was called off little early because of bad light.
- IMAGES from Day 3
Rahane, who hit a century in the first innings, continued from where he left off as he finished unbeaten on a patient 52 as India pressed for a 3-0 series rout against the hapless visitors who managed to dismiss Murali Vijay (3), Rohit Sharma (0), Shikhar Dhawan (21) and Cheteshwar Pujara (28) in quick succession with Morne Morkel triggering a mini collapse.
Kohli, who notched up his first 50-plus score in the series played 154 balls, hitting 10 boundaries.
Rahane, who showed much more restraint, took 152 balls to hit five boundaries in his innings. In fact his 50 came off 146 balls compared to Kohli, who got there in only 70 balls.
Kohli's innings was a mixture of elegance and power. When he muscled off-spinner Dane Piedt through covers, it was power of wrists but the moment Kyle Abbott bowled one shade outside the off-stump, it was elegance personified as he opened his bat face to gently guide it through vacant thirdman region. He repeated that same shot off Morne Morkel to take his score into the 80s.
Kohli looked determined from the start to make up for his poor run of scores in the series so far.
In fact, when he reached his half-century, the celebrations were pretty muted by his standards he just raised his bat for a second towards the section of school children who were cheering him vociferously.
The only blemish for Kohli would be the fact that he stood his ground when umpire ruled him caught behind off Imran Tahir. He stood back in disbelief for at least 10-15 seconds before slowly trudging back when umpire Bruce Oxenford decided to check for the no-ball.
The skipper was lucky as replays showed that Tahir had overstepped but the India captain could face some sanction for showing displeasure to the umpire's decision.
The best bowler for South Africa undoubtedly was Morkel, who claimed three for 29, including the wicket of Dhawan with a quick yorker.
Kohli and Rahane came together when India were reeling at 57 for four as they took the score past three-figure mark. Their 50- run partnership for the fifth wicket was achieved in only 81 minutes after playing 101 balls.
Kohli hit a glorious cover drive off Abbott, one past backward point off Morkel and tucked one to square leg boundary as he quickly reached 30. Rahane, on the other hand, was happy to nudge and push around letting his captain play the role of an aggressor.
In between, a standout shot was a clip off his hips to dispatch Morkel to the square leg boundary.
Earlier, India started the day on a disastrous note as they lost Vijay to a lethal short ball bowled by Morkel. The tall speedster hit the back of length area as the ball kicked up viciously. The normally technically sound Vijay tried to awkwardly fend it off as he tried to get out of the way. The ball had brushed his armguards before being taken by Dane Vilas behind the stumps as he timed his jump to perfection.
The Indian team management promoted Rohit Sharma at number three, trying to give him some valuable time with less pressure and a sizeable lead on the board. But the Mumbai lad again disappointed his fans as Morkel bowled one fuller that move a shade to rattle his off-stump.
Pujara, who sustained a bruise in his forearm on Friday and could not field, carried on till lunch session. He whipped Dane Piedt through midwicket for a boundary while he faced some difficulty while facing Abbott as he got a couple of streaky boundaries.
Dhawan, however, was more assured against Abbott as he twice hit off-drives to collect his boundaries but was apparently more cautious against the spinners as he failed to get the scoreboard moving during his 86-ball stay.
The Pujara-Dhawan duo added 45 runs but South Africa again struck in the post-lunch session.
First it was Pujara (who played 79 balls) who tried to cut one from Tahir that stayed low and knocked his off-stump.
But then it took a beauty from Morkel to get rid of Dhawan. The speedster came from round the wicket and bowled a toe-crushing inswinging yorker that hit the base of leg stump even as the local boy tried bringing his bat down.
