Kanpur, April 13:

India dominated South Africa on Sunday to win the third Test by eight wickets inside three days, squaring the series 1-1 and retaining their world No 2 Test ranking.

In an extraordinary third day, India turned what had been an evenly-poised match at the start of play into a rout. Trailing by 60 runs on first innings, South Africa were out for 121 in their second, losing the last six wickets for 31 runs.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh — who opened the bowling in the second innings — snared 4-44 and Virender Sehwag claimed a career-best 3-12, leaving India with an easy victory target of 62. India sprinted to 64-2. South Africa had posted 265 in their first innings and India responded with 325. India started day with a stubborn tenth-wicket stand of 46. Resuming at 288-9, Shantakumaran Sreesanth (29) and Ishant Sharma (14 not out) defied attack for nearly an hour.

Sreesanth then consolidated India’s advantage when he trapped opener Neil McKenzie (14) lbw. Singh then had Hashim Amla (0) caught bat-pad by short leg Wasim Jaffer. It was when Sehwag snared Jacques Kallis (15) and skipper Graeme Smith (35) in the space of 13 deliveries, leaving South Africa tottering on 88-4, that the hosts took control of the Test.

Sehwag struck a decisive blow by clean bowling Smith around his legs. The innings crumbled thereafter. AB de Villiers (7) became Singh’s second victim, before Sharma dismissed Mark Boucher (5) and Morne Morkel (0) in one over.

Eager to match the three-day win that South Africa enjoyed in the second Test, India lost Sehwag (22) and Jaffer (10) before Sourav Ganguly (13 not out) and Rahul Dravid (18) took it to the target.