India inched closer to a win in the first Test, reducing South Africa to 117/8 at lunch on the fifth and final day in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Ravindra Jadeja grabbed four wickets, Mohammed Shami took three, while Ravichandran Ashwin took one to equal Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan in becoming the joint fastest to take 350 wickets.

At the break, Senuran Muthusamy (18) and Dane Piedt (32) were at the crease with South Africa still needing 278 runs with 2 wickets remaining.

On Saturday, India declared their second innings at 323-4 in 67 overs to set an improbable 395-run target for South Africa. In response, the visitors were 11/1 at stumps on day four.

Earlier, the Proteas were bowled out for 431 in their first innings in reply to India’s 502 for seven declared.

Brief score:

India: 502/7 decl & 323/4 decl (Rohit Sharma 127, Cheteshwar Pujara 81, Ravindra Jadeja 40, Virat Kohli 31 no, Ajinkya Rahane 27 no, Keshav Maharaj 2/129)

South Africa 1st Innings 431 and (target 395) 117 for 8 in 42 overs (AK Markram 39, D Piedt 32; Ravindra Jadeja 4/51).

With PTI Inputs