Images from Day 2 in the fourth Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi
Ajinkya Rahane registered the first century of the series as India posted 334 runs in the first innings on Day 2 of the fourth Test against South Africa at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Friday.
In reply, the Proteas' batting again floundered and they were dismissed for 121 in 49.3 overs, with Ravindra Jadeja returning figures of 5 for 30 from 12 overs.
A B de Villiers top-scored for South Africa with 42 as they conceded a lead of 213 runs.
India decided against enforcing the follow-on before play was called off early because of bad light.
Earlier Kyle Abbott finished with figures of 5 for 40 as India were dismissed in the post-lunch session.
In the fifth over after lunch, Abbot first had Ravichandran Ashwin (56) caught by AB de Villiers, and two balls later bowled Ishant Sharma for a duck, to wrap up the Indian innings.
Umesh Yadav remained not out on 10.
Rahane struck the first century of the low-scoring series. His 127 came off 215 balls and he became the first player from either side to reach the three-figure mark in the series.
The 27-year-old right-hander fell after a cultured knock, studded with four sixes and 11 fours, crafted over five hours.
After India's resumed the day on 231-7, Rahane stitched a third 50-plus partnership of the innings with Ashwin, before bringing up his fifth Test century with an immaculate straight drive past fast bowler Abbott.
Rahane swung his bat, raised his arms and looked skywards in a mixed sense of relief and elation, having failed to go past 15 in the ongoing series.
It was the Mumbai batsman’s first Test ton on home soil.
Celebration followed with the batsman launching off-spinner Dane Piedt over mid-wicket and long-on for two sixes in three deliveries.
Ashwin (56) hit his sixth Test fifty, giving the Indians some vital runs that ensured they went past the 300 mark.
He was nearly caught at slip and survived a vociferous leg-before appeal from Imran Tahir as well but went on to hit the leg-spinner for a six to bring up his fifty.
This is the first time in the series that a team put up a total of 300 runs, the previous highest being India's 215 in Nagpur.
With a far better pitch on offer, it seemed that the South African batsmen had lost the battle in their heads even before they came out to face the Indian quartet on the 22 yards strip.
It was a combination of disciplined bowling and some reckless batting that led to South Africa's downfall.
Once again AB de Villiers fought a lone battle, scoring 42 and was the ninth batsman to be dismissed when Ishant took a well-judged catch at the long-off boundary.
Umesh Yadav produced perhaps the delivery of the match to dismiss J P Duminy (1).
He came from round the wicket to bowl a sharp off-cutter. The ball pitched on the middle stump as Duminy committed to play forward but, to his surprise, found the ball nip away and knock his off-stump.
With three full days left in the game, India are firmly in the driver's seat to record a historic 3-0 series triumph over South Africa.
