Vangipurappu Laxman was busy taking the game out of South Africa's reach as he lifted India to 218 for seven at lunch on the third day of the second test at Kingsmead on Tuesday.
Laxman's marvellous innings of 86 not out increased India's lead to a daunting 292 and steadied them after three early wickets on the third morning had raised the prospect of the visitors being bowled out.
Zaheer Khan, who controversially survived an lbw appeal by Dale Steyn on 10, was on 27 not out in a gutsy unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 70.
Laxman and Cheteshwar Pujara had resumed with India on 92 for four, but Pujara was unable to see offMorne Morkel's opening over, his back-foot defensive stroke deflecting a sharp lifter into his stumps without adding to his overnight score of 10.
India were 93 for five, but Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni played some sweetly-timed strokes as they added 48 runs for the sixth wicket.
But left-arm seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe clinched a career-best third wicket in the innings when Dhoni fiddled outside off stump at a delivery angling away from him and was caught behind by Mark Boucher for 21.
Harbhajan Singh did not last long, scoring just four before he edged Morkel into the slips, but Laxman, using his long stride to get over the ball, marched on to his 49th test half-century and the first of the match.
Morkel had looked South Africa's most dangerous bowler with three for 47 in 15 overs, but pace spearhead Dale Steyn was inconsistent.
He came within a whisker of trapping Zaheer lbw with a fast, full delivery, but umpire Steve Davis ruled the batsman had edged the ball into his back pad, although television replays showed otherwise.
South Africa crashed to a parlous 131 all out in their first innings in reply to India's 205 all out.
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