At close of play on Friday at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium in the capital, the final session had a few things similar to the previous Tests. South African batting looked listless, their batsman got off to disappointing shots and AB de Villiers was the star of the show. In the bowling department, India's spin dominated again with Ravindra Jadeja taking five. But what changed from the scripts in Mohali, Bengaluru and Nagpur was Indian pacers getting into the mix too. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma bowled tantalizing spells.
Another factor that changed was that unlike the previous pitches, this one is less erratic, isn't heavily favouring the spinners and is offering reverse swing options to the seamers. Kyle Abbott too proved that with a fiver.
As light faded on this part of central Delhi, South Africa's hopes of getting a complimentary win also looked to be fading away. They were bowled out for a miserable 121 against India's 334 thereby conceding a lead of 213 runs and missing the follow-on mark by 14 runs. And soon it was confirmed that India won't be enforcing the follow-on.
At tea, South Africa were 38/1 after 19 overs. They were slow and cautious in their approach but getting the job done. But, in the process, they were piling on the pressure on themselves which unfurled in the final session. One after another, a South African wicket fell without troubling the scorers - bar de Villiers. Nine wickets fell for a measly 83 runs.
Some dismissals had a pattern to them: Temba Bavuma and Hashim Amla tried to play a late cut only to get bowled and caught off Jadeja; JP Duminy and Dane Vilas didn't react properly to the pitch of the ball to be bowled by Yadav and Ishant respectively. Bavuma walked back on the sixth ball of the post tea session after staying far back in his crease and getting bowled while trying to cut the ball away. Amla's horrid time on the field transcended to his time with the willow as well. His slow inning, encompassing 34 balls in which he scored only 3 runs, came to a sorry end with an attempted cut shot and getting a slight edge to be taken by Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps.
JP Duminy was bowled with an absolute peach of a delivery that hit the middle and off-stump line and straightened after hitting the seam leaving Duminy defending the wrong line and losing his off stump in the process. A few overs later, Vilas endured the same treatment but off Ishant. Ishant swung the ball in and Vilas was late in bringing his bat down and saw his off stump go flying.
With wickets going down around him, de Villiers continued to be his own self. He hit Ishant for two consecutive boundaries in the 39th over — first through cover and the next through point. But at one stage, even he had to take risks. And that is when he was brilliantly caught by Ishant at the long off boundary.
Soon, Imran Tahir slogged a shot towards deep midwicket boundary where substitute Kl Rahul was stationed and he brought curtains to a yet another sorry display by visitors' batting department.
Earlier dispelling the theory of it being a bowler friendly pitch was Rahane who reached his maiden ton in India and also made a mark in a low scoring series with its first century and longest inning. He and Ravichandran Ashwin put together the highest partnership of the series too (98 runs). Batting from an overnight score of 89, Rahane raised his arms in jubilation as he reached his century with a smoothly struck straight drive past Abbott. Tahir, who had been used sparingly, removed Rahane for 127 off 215 balls laced with 11 boundaries and four sixes. 'Jinx' tried to play one through the cover area but hit it uppishly to send the ball straight down de Villiers' throat. Ashwin reached his sixth 50 of the career in glorious fashion with a maximum off Tahir. Abbott brought curtains to Ashwin's inning with an attempted pull shot being taken by de Villiers at midwicket.
India's inning was soon wrapped up by Abbott, to reach his five-for, with the dismissal of Ishant getting caught lbw.
Brief Scores
India: 334 (Rahane 127, Ashwin 56, Abbott 5-40, Piedt 4-117) lead South Africa: 121 (De Villiers 42, Jadeja 5-30) trail by 214 runs.