India in control in Mohali

Pujara also tonked Tahir for the first six of the match in the final over of the day.

South African part-time spinner Dean Elgar turned out to be the unlikely hero as India squandered the advantage of winning the toss after being bundled out for a paltry 201 on an engrosssing opening day of the first cricket Test here today.

He was well assisted by fellow tweakers Ravindra Jadeja (3-55) and Amit Mishra (2-55).

Regular openers Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan returned to the team after both batsmen suffered injuries during India’s last test series in Sri Lanka. Faf du Plessis edged a delivery from Ashwin to slip, captain Hashim Amla was bowled not offering a shot to a straight delivery from Jadeja and AB de Villiers was castled with an Amit Mishra delivery that kept low. To a ball pitching on off stump and zoning in on middle, Amla shouldered arms, only to see the ball smash into his middle stump.

But it was a bridge too for South Africa, on a track where they were bowled out for 184 in the first innings. For the second time in the match Mishra did the job.

The two teams will now travel to Bengaluru for the second Test, beginning November 14.

De Villiers had a fortunate escape, having been caught close-in off Jadeja on 7, but was called back after replays showed it was a no ball. Their bowlers, especially the slow ones, may have starred, but the batsmen have work to do.

“He wants to do well when we play away from home as well, which is exciting for any captain”.

Major contributions from Murli Vijay (75 and 47) and Cheteshwar Pujara’s patient 77 in the second essay also contributed to the win in the low-scoring encounter. The hosts have stretched the lead to 142 runs.

The Proteas sprang a surprise by sending paceman Vernon Philander to open the innings, a ploy that bombed with Jadeja trapping the batsman leg before with his first ball.

India meant to start strongly in their second innings to build a big lead.

India, who started the third day at 125-2 in their second innings, suffered a batting meltdown in the morning session to go to lunch on 185 for eight at the I.S. Bindra stadium.

Ashwin once again became the leader of the pack, bagging his 13th Test fifer to claim 150 wickets in his 29th match. After his exit, Indian bowlers continued to take wickets in regular intervals and bowled out the visitors in 109.

Pujara has struck six fours and the only six of the match in his seventh test half-century. After that it was a procession as wickets tumbled in a jiffy.

Ajinkya Rahane fell cheaply as India slipped from 161-2 to 164-5. He was caught to a lovely diving catch by substitute Temba Bavuma at short leg, off legspinner Imran Tahir. The ODI skipper got to his 37th Test fifty with a whack off Jadeja in the mid-wicket region. The experiment failed as he fell lbw to Jadeja. The value of that partnership was further underlined by the way India collapsed, following their dismissals. It was a huge wicket that Ashwin can look back at with added satisfaction for he beat the batsman in the air.