Shardul Thakur took seven wickets as India wrestled back control on day two of the second Test with South Africa on Tuesday to take a 58-run lead.
South Africa, trailing 1-0 in the series, started the day on 35-1 and added a further 53 runs before captain Dean Elgar was dismissed by Thakur for 28.
Keegan Petersen looked to steady the ship by top-scoring for the hosts with 62 off 118 balls, but Thakur soon ended his resistance and Rassie van der Dussen (1) was the India all-rounder's next victim.
Temba Bavuma posted 51 from 60 deliveries and Kyle Verreynne went for 21, as did Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj, as India limited their opponents to a 27-run first-innings lead in their search for a first-ever series win in South Africa.
Thakur's figures of 7-61 are the best by an Indian bowler against the Proteas, surpassing the previous high of 7-66 set by Ravichandran Ashwin in 2015.
"Whenever I'm given an opportunity to play for India I am always up for it, especially in Test cricket," Thakur said. "These are my best figures but my best is still to come."
The tourists, without regular captain Virat Kohli because of injury, had K.L Rahul (eight) contentiously dismissed early on in their response and fellow opener Mayank Agarwal (23) did not last much longer before being trapped lbw.
But Cheteshwar Pujara's unbeaten 35 and 11 runs from Ajinkya Rahane, who also survived the rest of the session unscathed, ensured India will start day three on 85-2.
Sensational Shardul
If India hold their nerve and claim a first series win in South Africa, they will undoubtedly have Thakur to thank after this inspired display.
Only Lance Klusener (eight wickets) and Dale Steyn (7-51) boast better bowling figures in Test matches between these nations.
History in sight for India
All of Thakur's hard work was nearly for little as India lost stand-in skipper Rahul and Agarwal, with the latter having hit five fours in his 23 before carelessly failing to offer a shot to a Duanne Olivier delivery.
The tourists will now hope for a strong stand from Pujara and Rahane if they are to put some distance between themselves and South Africa in pursuit of a third successive away Test victory outside of Asia, something they have never previously managed.
Napoli 2-2 Roma: Late Abraham header denies wasteful hosts
A wasteful Napoli were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Roma in Serie A, with a late Tammy Abraham header securing a point for the visitors.
The visitors took the lead from the penalty spot a minute before the hour mark, with Paulo Dybala converting after Juan Jesus fouled Sardar Amzoun.
However, Napoli equalised six minutes later through Matias Olivera's deflected shot, and completed the turnaround with their own penalty six minutes from time as Victor Osimhen tucked away after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was felled by Renato Sanches.
The hosts could not hold on, though, and were pegged back with two minutes to go. Substitute Abraham's header from a corner was eventually awarded following a VAR review after he had initially been ruled offside.
Data debrief
Napoli remain eighth in the Serie A table on 50 points, the exact amount they had registered after their opening 19 games of last season.
Though his penalty was not enough to earn Roma victory, Dybala continued his impressive start to 2024, during which he has been involved in the joint-most goals in Serie A with 12 (nine goals, three assists).
Lyon are through to their 11th Women's Champions League final after sealing a 5-3 aggregate victory over compatriots Paris Saint-Germain.
The record eight-time winners scored three times in the final 10 minutes of last week's first leg to take a narrow 3-2 lead into the return fixture at Parc des Princes.
However, they were quicker out of the blocks in the second leg, with just three minutes on the clock when Selma Bacha drilled home from range for her first Champions League strike in five-and-a-half years.
Tabitha Chawinga responded before the break to reduce PSG's aggregate deficit to a single goal, but Melchie Dumornay put the tie beyond doubt nine minutes from time, as Sonia Bompastor's side set up a final showdown with Barcelona on May 25.
Data debrief
Lyon continued their dominance over PSG in Champions League semi-final encounters, having now progressed from each of their last four such ties.
The eight-time champions lost their first two semi-finals they contested in this competition, but have now won each of the last 10, and will seek a record-extending ninth title in Bilbao next month.
Alcaraz's pursuit for third straight Madrid Open crown continues by defeating Seyboth Wild
Carlos Alcaraz boosted his hopes of a third straight Madrid Open title as he comfortably beat Thiago Seyboth Wild to reach the fourth round on Sunday.
Back in his home country of Spain, Alcaraz eased to a 6-3 6-3 triumph to set up a fourth-round clash with Jan-Lennard Struff, whom he beat in last year's final.
The first six games of the opening set went to serve, but Alcaraz found a crucial break in the seventh and ninth games of the set to put him in pole position for victory, a lead he would not relinquish as he overcame being broken in the seventh game of the second set to seal his safe progression.
Holger Rune was a surprise casualty as the world number 12 was defeated 6-4 4-6 6-3 by Tallon Griekspoor, though world number eight Andrey Rublev eased through with a straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Data debrief
With his triumph over Seyboth Wild at the Madrid Open, Alcaraz has now won 93.3 per cent of his games at the tournament. That is the highest win percentage of any player with at least 10 games played in a single ATP-1000 event since the format was introduced in 1990.
Against Seyboth Wild, Alcaraz won 27 of his 31 first-serve points, also recording 19 winners to his opponent's 10 as he dominated the contest on his way to victory.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
