Nagpur: Ravichandran Ashwin starred with a seven wicket haul to help India trounce South Africa by 124 runs in the third Test at Nagpur.
The win helped India take an invincible 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
Resuming at 151/6 after tea, South Africa were bowled out for 185.
Ashwin took all four wickets to fall in the final session and finished with the sensational figures of 7/66.
South Africa's last remaining hope was JP Duminy but Ashwin trapped him leg before for 19 before quickly mopping up the tail.
The tall off spinner had match figures of 12/98 after having grabbed five wickets in the first innings.
South Africa's defeat ended their terrific streak of not having lost an away Test series since 2006.
The two teams now move to the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi for the fourth and final Test.
Mishra double strike takes India closer to victory
India were only four wickets away from victory as South Africa limped to 151/6 at tea on Day 3 of the third Test being played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here on Friday.
Resuming the innings post-lunch at 105/4, South Africa scored 46 more runs in 31 overs, losing two wickets during the second session of the day.
The visitors lost skipper Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis -- both getting out for identical score of 39 runs -- while chasing the target of 310 runs.
Both fell to leg-spinner Amit Mishra.
South Africa fight back after Ashwin double strike
Indian off-spinner R Ashwin snared a couple of early wickets, including the ever-dangerous A B de Villiers, but South Africa finally showed some defiance with the bat to be placed 105/4 at lunch on the third day of the third cricket Test here today.
Chasing a formidable victory target of 310 to stay alive in the series, the visitors had slumped to 58 for four, losing two second innings wickets this morning, before they fought back.
At the break, the Proteas needed 205 more runs to win with six wickets in hand to level the series 1-1.
Skipper Hashim Amla (28 off 93 balls) and Faf du Plessis (22 in 66 balls) are holding fort for the side.
Amla and no. 6 batsman du Plessis, both of who have had horror runs in the series so far, were involved in a defiant fifth-wicket stand of 47 runs in 131 balls on a track that is loaded in favour of spin bowling.
Ashwin was the lone Indian bowler to taste success in the morning by accounting for the two wickets to fall -- Dean Elgar (18) and de Villiers (9).
The tall bowler's first spell of the day was an impressive 5-0-15-2 for an overall innings figures of 3 for 35.
In fact even Amla and du Plessis could have been back in the pavillion had it not been the 'lives' they got because of the home fielders.
The duo then took the team to lunch without being separated with du Plessis even hitting a six off Ravindra Jadeja's left-arm spin.
South Africa had commenced the day at 32 for 2, needing 278 more runs on the difficult spin-aiding pitch with opener Dean Elgar and skipper Amla at the crease.
Knowing the task was formidable, caution was the watch-word adopted against Ishant Sharma and Ashwin. Things were quiet for the first three overs before Elgar, given a juicy half volley on middle stump, slog-swept Ashwin over the mid wicket fence for a six.
