India need 8 wickets

India seized control of the third Test in Nagpur on Thursday after South Africa, shot out for a record low of 79, fumbled again in their chase of a tough target.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin finished with five for 32 and Jadeja took four for 33 on a dusty surface at the VCA Stadium to bowl South Africa out in 33.1 overs, giving India a first-innings lead of 136 runs.

India were themselves dismissed for 173 runs in their second knock, setting the top-ranked Proteas an improbable target of 310 on a pitch where the ball is turning sharply and keeping low.

South Africa, needing a win to level the four-Test series, ended the second day's play on 32 for two, with Dean Elgar unbeaten on 10 and skipper Hashim Amla on three.

The tourists will start the third day requiring 278 runs more on a dicey pitch that has already claimed 32 wickets over the first two days.

Starting the day at 11-2, the Proteas suffered a sensational collapse as they lost three wickets for one run in the first four overs to slip to 12-5.

SCORES IN BRIEF
INDIA: First innings 215
SOUTH AFRICA: First innings 79 (Du Plessis 10, Duminy 35, Harmer 13;
Ashwin 5-32, Jadeja 4-33)
INDIA: Second innings 173 (Dhawan 39, Pujara 31, Kohli 16, Sharma 23;
Morkel 3-19, Tahir 5-38)
SOUTH AFRICA: Second innings 32 for 2 (Elgar 10 not out, Tahir 8;
Ashwin 1-12, Mishra 1-3)