Ravindra Jadeja plotted South Africa's downfall with a five-wicket haul after Ajinkya Rahane's brilliant century as India gained complete control of the fourth cricket Test by taking a commanding 213-run lead on the second day here today.
Jadeja produced a mesmerising spell of 5/30 to skittle out the hapless visitors for a paltry 121 in 49.3 overs on a sporting Feroz Shah Kotla track.
The Proteas did not even bat two full sessions falling 14 runs short of saving the follow-on score of 135 after Rahane's 127 helped India post a decent 334 in their first innings. The Indians, however, decided not to impose the follow on.
While left-arm spinner Jadeja accounted for bulk of the spoils with pin-point accuracy, it was a magical delivery by pacer Umesh Yadav (2/32) and Ishant Sharma's (1/28) sharp bowling that remained the highlight of the final two sessions.
Ravichandran Ashwin (2/26) also increased his series wickets tally to 26 after helping himself to a half-century with the bat.
With a far better pitch on offer, it seemed that South African batsmen had lost the battle in their heads even before they came out to face the Indian quartet on the 22 yards.
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 9th batsman to be dismissed when Ishant took a well judged catch at the long-off boundary.
With three
full days left in the game, India were firmly in the driver's seat to record a historic 3-0 win over South Africa.
Comeback-man Yadav drew first blood by removing Dean Elgar (17), who was caught by Wriddhiman Saha trying to steer a fuller delivery.
In the post tea session, it was Jadeja, who got into the act with his accurate length bowling.
Opener Temba Bavuma (22), who replaced an out of form Stiaan van Zyl, was bowled by an arm ball that kept low.
Hashim Amla's (1) horrible series continued as he tried to play square cut when a Jadeja delivery was too close for comfort. The result was a nick snapped up by Saha behind the stumps.
From 56/3, it soon became 62 for four when Faf du Plessis (0) tried to play a lap shot only to find Rahane run back from his first slip position to take a simple catch at backward short leg.
(REOPENS FGN 1)
Post-lunch, Chase and Dowrich looked to bat on for time, but they were not subdued. They looked to attack the Indian bowlers who erred in line and length.
First up, Dowrich reached his third Test fifty off 78 balls and in doing so brought up the 100-partnership with Chase off 162 balls. The West Indies' 250-mark also came up within an hour's play, in the 54th over.
However, Dowrich was given out LBW after the break by umpire Ian Gould off Amit Mishra (2-85), despite the fact that he had an inside-edge. The batsman left shaking his head, but Chase made good on his promise, and duly reached his maiden Test hundred off 175 balls.
He had skipper Holder for company, and by tea time the two weren't looking uncomfortable at the crease at all as the West Indies crossed the 300-mark in the 79th over.
India did take the new ball immediately after the 80th over, but that too didn't provide them any breakthroughs, as the hosts negated the lead and went ahead thereafter. There are now 29 overs remaining in the match, for the visitors to force a result.
Starting at overnight 48 for four, Chase and Blackwood came out with a plan to defy the Indian bowlers. There had been no rain since play on day four had been called off and not a cloud was in sight today.
The visitors started off with Shami and Amit Mishra but Blackwood attacked them both and hit them out of the attack.
Ishant and Umesh Yadav (0/44) were then deployed, but Blackwood continued attacking them too. The former bowled a bit wider outside of the off-stump in a bid to keep things tight, while Yadav used the short-ball approach against him.
It didn't work as Blackwood smacked his second fifty in the Test off only 41 balls, bringing it up in the 31st over as 79 runs came in the first hour's play. West Indies also crossed the 100-mark earlier in the 25th over.
The duo put 50 off just 54 balls and it seemed as if for once the hosts batting would come good. Ashwin then was finally introduced into the attack in the 28th over of the innings, with skipper Virat Kohli opting to hold him back earlier in the session.
Blackwood hit a straight six in his second over but Ashwin got his revenge as he squeezed the batsman for runs bowling from round the wicket. The plan worked and Cheteshwar Pujara too a brilliant diving catch at forward short leg in the 34th over to send Blackwood back to the pavilion.
Chase was then joined in by Dowrich (59 balls, 2 fours), and the two overcame some miscommunication early in the innings to defy the Indian bowling further. After taking his maiden five-wicket haul earlier in the match, Chase then reached his maiden Test fifty off 84 balls and opened up to play some attacking strokes against Mishra, who bowled a predominantly leg-stump line.
The Indian bowling didn't really trouble the duo as they brought up the 50-partnership off 82 balls, and the 200-mark came up for the West Indies in the 50th over. Yadav and Shami did get the ball to reverse later in the session, but couldn't get another success before the lunch break as the two batsmen looked comfortable at the crease.
Sensing that he is already running out of partners, Rahul tried to whip Lyon but got a leading edge and simple catch was gobbled by Renshaw standing at mid-off.
He was the 9th wicket to fall and Lyon's dream day ended with a eight-for when Ishant's forward defensive prod was taken by an alert Handscomb at forward short leg.
Lyon also became the first overseas bowler to have three seven wicket hauls against India in India and will certainly rank among one of the best overseas spinners to have graced the Indian turf.
When Australia batted, Virat Kohli started with his pacers on a wicket that has shown considerable signs of wear and tear. Neither Ishant Sharma not Umesh Yadav looked menacing as Warner and Renshaw looked comfortable negotiating the two new ball bowlers.
Ravichandran Ashwin bowled six overs and 26 of his 36 deliveries were dot balls but both openers were comfortable against the Tamil Nadu tweaker.
Both have so far hit a boundary each in the 16 overs that they faced during the day.
