Jadeja sends South Africa crashing after Rahane's century

Ajinkya Rahane is the first player from either side to attain the three-figure mark in this low-scoring series.

Ravindra Jadeja claims 5 for 30 as South Africa are dismissed for 121 in 49.3 overs in reply to India's 334.

Ravindra Jadeja did the star turn with a five-wicket haul, after Ajinkya Rahane's brilliant century, as India took control of the fourth Test against South Africa by taking a commanding 213-run lead on the second day at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Friday.

Jadeja produced a mesmerising spell of 5 for 30 as the visitors were dismissed for a paltry 121 in 49.3 overs.

- Scorecard

- Images from Day 2, 4th Test

After Rahane's 127 helped India post a decent 334 in their first innings, the Proteas did not even last two full sessions, falling 14 runs short of saving the follow-on score of 135.

The home side, however, decided against forcing the follow-on.

While left-arm spinner Jadeja accounted for the 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 was the highlight of the final two sessions.

Ravichandran Ashwin (2-26) also increased his wickets tally for the series to 26 after helping himself to a half-century with the bat.

With a far better pitch on offer, it seemed that the South African batsmen had lost the battle in their heads even before they came out to face the Indian quartet on the 22 yards strip.

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 ninth 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 are firmly in the driver's seat to record a historic 3-0 series triumph over South Africa.

Earlier, 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 a 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 for 3, it soon became 62 for four when Faf du Plessis (0) tried to play a slap shot only to find Rahane run back from his first slip position to take a simple catch at backward short leg.

However, it was Umesh, who produced the delivery of the match to dismiss JP Duminy (1).

He came from round the wicket to produce a sharp off-cutter (leg cutter for the left-hander). The ball pitched on the middle stump as Duminy rightly committed to play forward but, to his surprise, found it nip away and knock his off-stump, making it 65 for five.

In danger of conceding the follow-on, the Proteas' woes were compounded when Ishant Sharma got one to jag back sharply and castle Dane Vilas (11).

Finally, Ashwin also got his name on the wickets column as he trapped Kyle Abbott (4) to make it 80 for seven.

Dane Piedt (5) went for a drive and only edged one to Rahane at first slip.

Earlier, the highlight of the first session certainly was Rahane's 127 off 215 balls as he achieved the distinction of being the first player from either side to attain the three-figure mark in this low-scoring series.

The stylish right-hander's knock was studded with 11 fours and as many as five sixes. He added 98 runs off 193 balls for the eighth wicket with Ravichandran Ashwin (56), who completed his sixth half-century in the longest format.

Incidentally, this was also the highest stand for any wicket among either team in the series.

The Rahane-Ashwin duo surpassed the previous best of 86 between Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Among the many firsts, it was Rahane's first hundred on home soil. This was also the first time that one team passed a total of 300 runs, with the previous highest being India’s 215 at Nagpur.

This was also the first time that only one wicket fell in a single session which yielded 95 runs.

Another first was Rahane's hundred against South Africa. He has now scored

five centuries against five different oppositions: Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka.