Durban, South Africa: Harbhajan Singh spun India back into contention on a dramatic day two of the second test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Monday, as 18 wickets fell to leave the tourists with a 166-run lead.
India was 92-4 in its second innings after it had been bowled out for 205 early in the day. South Africa was then bundled out for 131 in the afternoon, as the bowlers dominated in Durban.
Harbhajan ripped through South Africa with 4-10 to reduce the Proteas to their lowest score at Kingsmead in 71 years - and second-lowest ever at the ground - as they lost six wickets for 35 runs after lunch. Fast bowler Zaheer Khan took 3-36.
But, in a day where the momentum swung back and forth, South Africa seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe grabbed 2-16 in the final session to leave the test - and the series - finely balanced.
Second-ranked test team South Africa leads the three-match series 1-0 as top-ranked India sets its sights on a match-winning and series-leveling total with six second-innings wickets remaining. The series ends with a final test at Cape Town.
VVS Laxman was 23 not out and Cheteshwar Pujara unbeaten on 10 to steady India after it lost its top four batsmen for 14 runs in a five-over spell after tea.
"Tomorrow is D-Day for us," Harbhajan said. "I think if we bat well and get 300 we should win the match and level the series. There is still a lot of cricket left and we don't want to be complacent. We just want to bat well tomorrow."
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 35 in India's first innings was the highest score by any batsman on the second day as the 18 wickets tumbled in 77 overs on a green pitch at Kingsmead.
"It's quite a lot of wickets in one day," South Africa batsman A.B. De Villiers said. "We batted quite poorly. The wicket is better than that.
"But you always expect the No. 1 team to bounce back and that's exactly what we expected from India. Now, we need to restrict them to 250, something chaseable, and make sure we see the back of VVS (Laxman) as quickly as possible."
Virender Sehwag raced to 32 from 31 balls with six fours at the top of India's second innings. His 42-run opening partnership with Murali Vijay was the highest of the day.
But Sehwag, Vijay, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar all fell in the space of 30 balls. Tsotsobe extracted bounce and swing to have Sehwag and Dravid caught behind. Vijay fell at short leg off Morne Morkel and Tendulkar was out to Dale Steyn - who has seven wickets in the match - before Laxman and Pujara consolidated.
South Africa spearhead Steyn had earlier taken 6-50 for the 15th five-wicket haul of his career as the home team wrapped up India's first innings in just 45 minutes of the first session and looked to take control of the test.
Steyn had Harbhajan out for 21 to a diving catch by De Villiers at third slip and then removed captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India added just 22 runs to its overnight 183-6. Morkel took 2-68 and South Africa's leading pace pair shared the final four wickets.
But India then bowled and fielded superbly, finally justifying its No. 1 ranking, to claw its way back into the series.
Harbhajan and Zaheer led the attack, while Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma had one wicket each.
Left-armer seamer Khan returned from the hamstring injury that kept him out of India's innings defeat in the first test at Centurion to remove both South African openers - Graeme Smith for 9 and Alviro Petersen for 24. Jacques Kallis (10) was run out at the non-striker's end and Sreesanth removed the dangerous De Villiers for a duck as South Africa struggled to 74-4 at lunch.
Hashim Amla top-scored for the Proteas with 33 at his home ground in his 50th test but his departure, lbw off the first ball of Harbhajan's second over, began South Africa's 12-over collapse after lunch.
Ashwell Prince (13) chopped a Zaheer delivery on to his stumps and Dale Steyn (1) and Paul Harris (0) fell to brilliant catches in the same over from off-spinner Harbhajan.
Dravid snapped up a Steyn edge one-handed and diving to his left at slip for a memorable 200th test catch. Pujara then held on to a tough close chance at short leg to dismiss Harris for a duck five balls later.
Mark Boucher (16 not out) and Morne Morkel (10) dragged South Africa up to 127 with a 24-run partnership, the best of the innings, before Morkel holed out to another fine catch - this time on the boundary by the all-action Harbhajan - to give Sharma his lone wicket.
Last-man Tsotsobe was out to Harbhajan four balls later to leave South Africa with a 74-run deficit that had more than doubled by the close of play.
South Africa leads the three-match series 1-0.
Scoreboard
India 1st Innings
(Overnight 183-6)=
Virender Sehwag c Kallis b Steyn 25
Murali Vijay c Boucher b Steyn 19
Rahul Dravid c Boucher b Steyn 25
Sachin Tendulkar c Kallis b Tsotsobe 13
VVS Laxman c Tsotsobe b Steyn 38
Cheteshwar Pujara c Boucher b Tsotsobe 19
Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Petersen b Steyn 35
Harbhajan Singh c de Villiers b Steyn 21
Zaheer Khan c Boucher b Morkel 0
Ishant Sharma not out 1
Shanthakumaran Sreesanth c Boucher b Morkel 0
Extras: (1b, 2lb, 4w, 2nb) 9
TOTAL: (all out) 205.
Overs: 65.1
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-48, 3-79, 4-117, 5-130, 6-156, 7-190, 8-193, 9-205, 10-205.
Bowling: Dale Steyn 19-6-50-6, Morne Morkel 19.1-3-68-2 (2nb), Lonwabo Tsotsobe 11-3-40-2 (1w), Jacques Kallis 8-2-18-0 (1w), Paul Harris 8-1-26-0.
South Africa 1st Innings
Alviro Petersen b Khan 24
Graeme Smith c Dhoni b Khan 9
Hashim Amla lbw b Harbhajan 33
Jacques Kallis run out (Sharma) 10
AB de Villiers c Dhoni b Sreesanth 0
Ashwell Prince b Khan 13
Mark Boucher not out 16
Dale Steyn c Dravid b Harbhajan 1
Paul Harris c Pujara b Harbhajan 0
Morne Morkel c Harbhajan b Sharma 10
Lonwabo Tsotsobe c Vijay b Harbhajan 0
Extras: (2lb, 1w, 12nb) 15
TOTAL: (all out) 131.
Overs: 37.2
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-46, 3-67, 4-74, 5-96, 6-100, 7-103, 8-103, 9-127, 10-131.
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 13-2-36-3, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth 8-0-41-1 (5nb, 1w), Ishant Sharma 9-2-42-1 (7nb), Harbhajan Singh 7.2-2-10-4.
Toss: South Africa.
Series: South Africa leads 1-0 in three-match series.
Umpires: Asad Rauf, Pakistan, and Steve Davis, Australia.
TV umpire: Johan Cloete, South Africa. Match referee: Andy Pycroft, Zimbabwe.
