Proteas in strong position as second Test heats up

South Africa captain Dean Elgar scored an unbeaten 46 to give his team a chance of victory over India as they chase a challenging target of 240 to win the second Test at the Wanderers.

South Africa need another 122 runs to win to level the three-match series after closing on 2-118 at the end of the third day's play.

Elgar lived up to his reputation as a dogged, street-fighting batsman as he held the Indian bowling attack at bay, scoring his runs patiently off 121 balls.

He came in for a torrid time, frequently hit on the body by short balls as the tourists searched for a breakthrough.

Elgar featured in a 47-run partnership with Aiden Markram for the first wicket and 46 with Keegan Petersen for the second to put his side in a strong position with two days left.

Markram was out lbw to Shardul Thakur for 31 while the diminutive Petersen scored 28 before Ravinchandran Ashwin trapped him lbw.

Rassie van der Dussen, who has struggled in the series, was 11 not out at stumps.

"We still think the target of 240 is really hard for them," said India's Ajinkya Rahane.

"I thought we bowled really well, but they came with the intent. But the way we came back in the last session, we bowled really great lines."

South Africa had hoped to bowl India out more cheaply in their second innings but eventually dismissed them for 266 some 30 minutes before tea.

Their frustration showed late in the innings when paceman Marco Jansen had a heated exchange with India's Jasprit Bumrah after the tailender attempted a wild slog across the line.

The 240-run target looked a daunting task on a low-scoring wicket which is increasingly favouring the seamers.

India's batsmen had earlier defied the conditions, picking up where they left off overnight with a free scoring display in the first hour as they moved the score from 2-85 to 2-151.

In the process, both Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane reached fifties and put together a 111-run partnership for the third wicket as they dominated the home bowling.

But the runs dried up suddenly with three quick wickets for Kagiso Rabada before lunch.

Rahane went first for 58 before Pujara was trapped lbw for 53 and Rishabh Pant went for a duck after a wild and injudicious slog.

Thakur, who had taken seven wickets in South Africa's first innings, picked up the Indian run-rate again after lunch, scoring 28 off 24 balls before being caught in the deep off Marco Jansen.

An unbeaten 40 from Hanuma Vihari, in the side in place of injured skipper Virat Kohli, added to India's sizeable second-innings score, as did 33 extras.

India scored 202 in their first innings to which South Africa replied with 229.

India won the last week's first Test in Pretoria by 113 runs as they search for a historic first series win in South Africa.