Ajinkya Rahane hit an unbeaten 89 to steer India to 231 for seven on the opening day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa in smoggy conditions in New Deli on Thursday.
Rahane, 27, hit two sixes and nine boundaries in his 155-ball knock, the highest score in what has otherwise been a low-scoring series that India lead 2-0.
The talented right-hander, dropped on 78 by South Africa skipper Hashim Amla, defied an inspired bowling attack led by off-spinner Dane Piedt to anchor the Indian innings.
Piedt grabbed four wickets for 101 runs while recalled paceman Kyle Abbott chipped in with three scalps on a strip that offered inconsistent bounce to the bowlers.
India are looking to pile on the agony for the top-ranked tourists after winning the first and third Tests to take an unassailable lead in the series. The second Test in Bangalore was washed out.
Under grey, smoggy skies, Rahane reached his eighth Test half-century and the first in India with a slog-swept six off Piedt followed by a boundary.
He also shared a 70-run stand with Indian captain Virat Kohli, who hit a breezy 44 off 62 balls before a freak dismissal cut short his innings.
The 25-year-old Piedt, playing only his second Test and the first of the series, provided the early breakthroughs, dismissing Murali Vijay (12) and opening partner Shikhar Dhawan (33).
Vijay was caught in the slips by Amla while Dhawan was given out lbw, the sharply turning ball hitting his front pad as he tried to defend.
Piedt was lucky to claim the scalp of Kohli, who tried to play a sweep shot, but the ball hit Temba Bavuma fielding at short leg and ricocheted up in the air.
An alert Dane Vilas leapt quickly from behind the stumps and dived forward to catch the ball.
Rohit Sharma (one) gifted Piedt his fourth wicket, tamely holing out to Imran Tahir near the long-on fence.
Abbott sent back Cheteshwar Pujara (14) and Wriddhiman Saha, who saw his stumps uprooted in spectacular fashion on the stroke of tea.
The burly paceman returned to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja in the final session, which saw 92 runs scored at the cost of just one wicket.
– Cautious start –
The Indian openers started cautiously before losing two wickets in the space of seven balls immediately after lunch.
Dhawan, who has been struggling with form, faced 18 deliveries before getting off the mark. But after growing in confidence, he hit a couple of boundaries, including a pulled four to mid-wicket off Piedt.
Vijay earned a reprieve on 10 when he edged a delivery from Abbott to AB de Villiers at second slip.
But the umpire signalled a no-ball and TV replays confirmed the delivery was not legitimate.
India picked paceman Umesh Yadav in place of leg-spinner Amit Mishra in the only change from the side that won last week’s Test in Nagpur.
The tourists brought in Bavuma, Abbott and Piedt in place of Stiaan van Zyl, Kagiso Rabada and Simon Harmer.