Sreesanth (left) set the tone for the day with an excellent spell

The tourists were 93-7 at close of play in Potchefstroom but still in a healthy position with a 271-run lead.

A total of 17 wickets fell in the day with the home side bowled out for 138 in their first innings.

Sri Sreesanth was the pick of India's seamers with figures of 4-53 and he was well supported by VRV Singh (3-35) and Zaheer Khan (2-22).

Vaughn van Jaarsveld made an aggressive 52 off 57 balls, including nine fours, but only three other batsmen reached double figures and none of them passed 20.

They could not cope with the accuracy of the Indian attack and six departed lbw, including Alfonso Thomas and Paul Adams for nought.

Thomas got his own back when India began their second innings, however, by having Wasim Jaffer caught behind for his second duck of the game.

And the rest of India's batsmen fared little better as Thomas, who has yet to play international cricket despite being picked for South Africa's tour to India in 2004, took 5-32 from 15 overs.

Among his victims was India skipper VVS Laxman, who hung around for almost three hours for 31 before being caught by Jean-Paul Duminy.

The other two wickets went in the space of three balls to Nantie Hayward and they were the important ones of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.

Tendulkar was leg-before for 12 and Ganguly followed a battling 83 in India's first innings by edging to the keeper for a second-ball duck.