In a six-over spell after tea, the Indian pace attack of Ishant Sharma (3-64), Zaheer Khan (1-72) and Mohammad Shami (2-48) took five top-order South African wickets to change the course of the game. Chasing India's first innings total of 280, South Africa, from being 130-1, were reduced to 146-6.
There was a rescue act engineered by Vernon Philander (48 batting) and Faf du Plessis (17 batting) in the last hour, as they pitched in with a 67-run unbeaten seventh wicket partnership.
While Philander assumed the role of the aggressor braving a few blows, Du Plessis looked to hang on. Rohit Sharma, though put down a sitter at second slip off Shami to keep Du Plessis alive at a crucial stage of the game. South Africa finished the day at 213-6.
Earlier, after getting the last five Indian wickets for a mere 25 runs on the second morning, South Africa were looking to take charge. Not that the South African top-order was batting with conviction, but the runs were coming.
Ishant was bowling a superb length, getting the ball to cut back off the seam and that's how he had dismissed Alviro Peterson (21) leg-before. But Amla and Smith had settled in.
Amla seemed to be in perfect control, leaving beautifully outside the off-stump and taking toll of anything loose. Smith was struggling against the moving ball - his feet were not moving, the edges were flying, a catch was dropped at first slip by R Ashwin - and the skipper scraped to his half-century.
The 93-run second wicket stand in the second session of the day looked to set the platform up for a South African onslaught, but it all changed in the half-hour period after tea.
Ishant pitched it up just a little more and Amla (36) shouldered arm one that jagged back off the seam to knock his off-stump over. Jacques Kallis came in to a huge reception but Ishant bowled the first one he faced even fuller.
Kallis missed the line and was plumb in front, and the game was turning. The ball had started to reverse and Zaheer had Smith (68) leg-before the very next over with one that swung in late.
Shami, too, made the ball talk in that phase, inducing an edge off JP Duminy to be caught at slips. AB de Villiers' (13) wicket was the real big one - he too failed to counter the swing of Shami and was trapped in front.
If a large part of the final session swing was in favour of India, the first was surely South Africa's. India, starting at 255-5, were looking at a target close to 350. The two unbeaten batsmen MS Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane had adopted an ultra-defensive approach.
With the South African tail wagging later in the day, it could might well be the difference between the two teams.
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