South Africa took such a significant stride towards victory during the first session that it seemed as though their 1-0 lead would be secure before tea on the fourth day at SuperSport Park. However, they faced resistance: first from Sachin Tendulkar, whose concentration did not waver as his middle-order mates departed meekly, and then from MS Dhoni, whose belligerent approach brought rewards on a sparsely-populated outfield.
After taking four wickets before lunch, including the prized scalps of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, South Africa were wicketless in the second session. They took the new ball as soon as it became available after 80 overs but India's run-rate only increased as the shiny Kookaburra raced off Dhoni and Tendulkar's bats. Their partnership for the seventh wicket was worth 117 and they had reduced the deficit to 90. For the first time in the Test, India had an iota of hope, especially with the unpredictable weather in Centurion. But even if Tendulkar reaches his 50th Test century and Dhoni also remains unbeaten at stumps, South Africa will still be one wicket away from regaining immediate control of the game.
When Dhoni walked out with Tendulkar after lunch, with India six down and trailing by 207, it seemed a question of when and not if South Africa would win on the fourth day. The desperateness of the situation allowed Dhoni to play aggressively and he did so, driving Lonwabo Tsotsobe past mid-off and through cover in the first over after the break - the 79th of the innings.
Seeking a quick end to the match, Smith gave the new ball to Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, urging them to take the wicket that would expose India's tail. It did not happen. Tendulkar's was calmness and good judgment personified, while Dhoni attacked, sometimes merely pushing the ball with enviable timing through the off side, sometimes lashing drives and cuts with high back-lift and fierce follow-through. Both approaches yielded boundaries, and he began to catch up with Tendulkar.
Mokel, who tormented India with pace and bounce on the opening day, leaked 13 in his second over with the new ball. Tendulkar cut him fiercely, and Dhoni pulled and drove through cover. There were a glut of boundaries in the first hour after lunch, three of which Dhoni took off consecutive deliveries from Jacques Kallis, leaving the bowler chuntering at the end of the over.
Paul Harris got the odd ball to jump, turn and trouble Tendulkar, but he was largely ineffective, considering he was operating on a fourth-day surface. As the deficit decreased towards 100, Dhoni tempered his aggression, while Tendulkar continued batting resolutely, his cutting and driving off the back foot being the stand-out feature of the innings.
South Africa will attempt to regroup during tea, and take the wicket that will restore the dominance they've enjoyed for 11 sessions.
That 11th session of dominance contained four Indian wickets, the last of which was Suresh Raina, brittle as ever, hanging his bat outside off stump in the final over before lunch to edge Kallis to slip. His dismissal had reduced India to 277 for 6, and it was the perfect end to a session in which South Africa had performed with patience.
Dravid and the nightwatchman Ishant Sharma had played carefully and their partnership lasted 48 minutes, holding up South Africa. Morkel thought he had broken the resistance when he stooped during his follow through to catch a leading edge off Ishant, but umpire Ian Gould asked the third umpire to check if Morkel had overstepped. He had. The frustration didn't last long, however, as Steyn had Ishant caught at short leg. The ball travelled quickly to Amla, who took a sharp catch to his left.
During his composed innings, Dravid went past 12,000 Test runs but India needed much more from him than 43. Morkel accounted for him by angling one into him before seaming it away, grazing the outside edge of Dravid's tentative push. Laxman stayed scoreless for eight balls but used the opportunity against Harris to treat the spectators to two sublime shots - a cover drive and a wristy flick. He wasn't as comfortable against pace, though, often playing from his crease, and eventually edged a full ball to gully, giving Tsotsobe his first wicket of the match.
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