Proteas fast bowlers keep control after Jansen's Test best with the bat

A wicket each for Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger and Marco Jansen confirmed South Africa's dominance in the first Test match against India, with the tourists struggling on 62/3 at tea on the third day. 

They still trail by 101 runs and will be desperate for a big partnership between Virat Kohli, who is on 16, and Shreyas Iyer (6) to keep their noses above the surface. 

South Africa, bowled out for 408, nearly 40 minutes into the afternoon session, built a 163-run lead in the first innings thanks to Dean Elgar's mammoth 185 and then a Test best knock of 84 not out from Jansen.  

Jansen batted for more than three hours, faced 147 balls and struck 11 fours and a six, with his partnership of 111 for the sixth wicket with Elgar a likely match-defining period. 

The SA bowlers, led by Rabada, then turned the screws. Despite having Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped first ball by Aiden Markram at second slip, Rabada was still able to produce another contender for delivery of the match when he cleaned up Indian captain Rohit Sharma.

The ball angled in to the right-hander and moved away after pitching, beating the bat and crashing into the off stump. 

Burger, who took the new ball ahead of Jansen, found some extra bounce, cramping Jaiswal for room, and found the glove to give Kyle Verreynne an easy catch.

There was brief respite for India with Kohli and Shubman Gill adding 38 for the third wicket, but India were always living on the edge, especially if the South African bowlers could target the stumps, something they didn't do enough of, again. 

When Jansen did, with a sublime yorker to Gill from around the wicket, he knocked back the middle stump, dismissing Gill for 17. 

There was time for more drama in the final over before tea when Keegan Petersen dropped Iyer at third slip off Jansen.

But India will know the final session won't get easier. 

Meanwhile, there was still no update from the Proteas management about the fitness of Temba Bavuma, who picked up a hamstring strain in his left leg while fielding on the first day. 

Given the circumstances of the match, with SA seeking to eke every run they could, there were thoughts that he might bat on Thursday. But that wasn't the case and despite requests for news about the captain, none was forthcoming.