INDIA moved to within five wickets of victory after South Africa suffered their second successive batting collapse in the first Test at Mohali on Saturday (November 7).
On an extraordinary third day when spinners from both sides wreaked havoc, Simon Harmer and Imran Tahir ripped through India's middle and lower order to bowl the hosts out for 200 in their second innings.
Chasing a modest 218-run victory target, South Africa, who managed 184 in the first innings, suffered a collapse of their own and were reeling at 56-5 at tea with Stiaan van Zyl (15) and Dane Vilas (six) in the middle.
The Proteas sprang a surprise by sending paceman Vernon Philander to open the innings, a ploy that bombed with Ravindra Jadeja trapping the batsman leg before with his first ball.
Left-arm spinner Jadeja returned to deal a bigger blow when he castled Hashim Amla, the South Africa captain offering no shot to a ball that crashed onto his middle stump.
Leg spinner Amit Mishra drove home the advantage by bowling AB de Villiers, for the second time in the test, with a flighted delivery that sneaked through the South African talisman's defence.
South Africa had earlier roared back into contention with off-spinner Harmer (4-61) and leggie Tahir (4-48) tormenting India's batsmen at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
Resuming on 125-2 in a low-scoring match, India's hopes of batting the visitors out of the contest received a boost when a groin injury prevented Proteas pace spearhead Dale Steyn from adding his considerable weight to the tourists' attack.
The visitors, however, refused to throw in the towel and claimed an astonishing six wickets for 24 runs to peg back India, who were cruising along at 161-2 at one stage.
Overnight batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli began well, looking largely untroubled in their 66-run stand.
Part-timer Van Zyl claimed the vital breakthrough for South Africa when he induced an edge from Kohli (29) and Vilas, standing up, took a good catch behind the stumps.
Tahir struck a crucial blow with his first delivery of the day to dismiss Pujara, whose 77 is currently the highest individual score in the contest.
Harmer then joined the party and struck three quick blows to wreck India's middle order in the first match of the four-Test series.
Substitute fielder Temba Bavuma took a sharp catch at forward short leg to send back Ajinkya Rahane, Jadeja was trapped leg before and Mishra perished after his half-hearted slog.
South Africa's captain Amla bowled out
