India beat South Africa by 108 runs in the first Test on the third day of the first Test against South Africa in Mohali to go 1-0 up in the four-match series.
Chasing 218 for victory on a track which is offering vicious turn, the Proteas succumbed to a severely deteriorating wicket. In fact a whopping 18 wickets fell on the third day.
The Indian spinners rattled the South African top-order batting in a tricky run chase as the home side smelled victory by reducing the Proteas to a precarious 56 for five at tea.
Thereafter, it was a matter of time before the visitors folded up. The South African second innings lasted for just 39.5 overs.
Ravindra Jadeja finished with figures of five for 21 - his third five-wicket haul in Tests, to go with his first innings effort (three for 55). He was not surprisingly named the man of the match.
Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with three for 39, to go with his first innings figures (five for 51).
Earlier, India folded their second innings at 200 a few minutes into the post-lunch session but wasted no time in getting down to business with the think-tank giving the new ball to spinners in South Africa's run chase.
India suffered a dramatic batting collapse as South African bowlers snapped six wickets in the morning session to reduce the home side to 185 for eight at lunch.
Kohli's exit in the morning session brought an Indian collapse of eight for 39.
India, who had taken a slender 17-run first innings lead, added 60 runs in the morning session while losing six wickets after they resumed the day at 125 for two.
India lost their overnight batsmen after the first hour play as Hashim Amla's rotation of bowlers worked for the visitors. Cheteshwar Pujara (77) and Kohli started off well to stitch a 66-run third-wicket partnership and get through till the first drinks break, but soon spinners Imran Tahir (3-39) and Simon Harmer(3-56) were pressed into action and the collapse began.
The Proteas struck in the first over after the drinks break with part-time bowler Stiaan van Zyl, who was introduced in the 10th over of the day, getting Kohli caught behind. The military-medium of Zyl proved deceptive as Kohli pushed at a widish good-length delivery and wicketkeeper Dane Vilas took a wobbling catch.
Pujara also did not stay for long after that and the introduction of Tahir from Zyl's end did the trick when the leg-spinner scalped the settled batsman on the very first delivery.
The Saurashtra batsman tried to defend a tossed up delivery from Tahir without moving his feet as the ball took an outside edge to fall into the hands of first slip and Amla made no mistake.
In fact, India lost six wickets for the addition of just 24 runs as they were 161 for two when captain Virat Kohli (29) fell just after the drinks break.
In a see-saw game belonging to the slow bowlers, it was the Proteas spinners who made it count this morning as the Indian batting witnessed a dramatic collapse in the first session of play.
Off-spinner Harmer, who was operating from the other end since the ninth over of the day, then sent Ajinkya Rahane (2) back to the pavilion. Harmer's off-spinner kicked off the turf as Rahane, who was found uncertain with his defence, got an inside edge and substitute Temba Bavuma took another sharp catch at forward short-leg.
Just when Ravindra Jadeja (8) and Saha seemed to be getting into some kind of a groove, Harmer struck again to send the all-rounder packing. Unable to read Harmer's off-spin from around the wicket, Jadeja missed his backfoot flick to be trapped leg before.
Not done yet, Harmer struck again to get Amit Mishra out for two. Trying a half-hearted sweep, Mishra top-edged the ball to backward square leg and Faf du Plessis made no mistake.
The visitors' move of sending pinch-hitter Vernon Philander (1) to open the innings was neutralised when Jadeja sent the batsman leg before on the very first delivery of the second over.
Ashwin spun into action from the other end and dismissed Faf du Plessis (1) caught at slip off a beautiful tossed up delivery that the jittery-looking batsman failed to cope.
The visiting camp were rattled when skipper Hashim Amla was cleaned up for nought by Jadeja after the batsman left a length ball that carried straight in and hit the middle stump.
South Africa were reduced to 10 for three at that stage. Amit Mishra (1-19), introduced in the 10th over of the innings, then produced the big moment by cleaning up first-innings top-scorer AB de Villiers (16) with a flighted, pitched-up delivery that stayed low and rushed on to the off stump.
Pacer Varun Aaron (1-3), who was brought into the attack after 16 overs bowled by the spin trio, also joined the wicket-takers list after getting Dean Elgar (16) caught at mid-on off a short-of-a-length delivery, which the batsman spooned to Kohli.
The game after tea seemed more like a foregone conclusion but the seventh-wicket 42-run stand between Stiaan van Zyl (36) and Simon Harmer (11) did give the home fans a bit of a jitter.
The two teams will now travel to Bengaluru for the second Test, beginning November 14.
