India roar back into Test series by sealing an eight-wicket victory over sorry South Africa

The hosts were set a target of just 62 runs after a spectacular collapse in the evening session saw the tourists skittled out for 121 in their second innings.

And although they lost the wickets of Wasim Jaffer and Virender Sehwag in their chase, the result never looked in doubt as India claimed the win they needed to draw the series 1-1.

The win will go some way to easing the pain of India's humiliating defeat in the second Test, when the tourists won by an innings and 90 runs.

This time it was the Proteas who found themselves facing the prospect of a heavy loss. At the start of the day, India's tail-enders Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth had helped their side establish a 60-run first-innings lead.

Responding to the tourists' opening knock of 265, India began the day on 288 for nine and Ishant (14 not out) and Sreesanth (29) added 37 to their 46-run partnership before the home side were finally dismissed for 325.

Paul Harris, who finished with figures of three for 101, claimed the crucial wicket as Sreesanth was caught at short cover by Prince.

South Africa's second innings then got off to a shaky start as they lost two quick wickets. Sreesanth claimed his 50th Test scalp when he trapped Neil McKenzie lbw for 14 while Hashim Amla fell for a duck shortly before the lunch interval, playing Harbhajan Singh's delivery to Wasim Jaffer at short leg.

That left the Proteas on 27 for two at the end of the morning session and, although captain Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis put up a bit of resistance, Virender Sehwag broke the partnership in the 30th over.

With his first delivery, the India off-spinner produced a deceptive ball which Kallis (15) edged off his pads to Jaffer.

And Sehwag struck again soon after, bowling Smith for 35 to give the hosts a further boost. Ashwell Prince and AB de Villiers saw the visitors through to tea on 88 for four, but India's bowlers quickly took a stranglehold on proceedings.

De Villiers managed just seven runs before hitting a Harbhajan delivery to VVS Laxman, and Mark Boucher (five) quickly followed with wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni taking the catch off Ishant.

Ishant struck again three balls later, bowling Morne Morkel for a duck, while Harris also departed without troubling the scorers when he edged Harbhajan to Rahul Dravid at first slip. Dale Steyn (seven) then saw his middle stump removed by Harbhajan and Makhaya Ntini was the last man to fall when he steered Sehwag's delivery to Sourav Ganguly.

Prince was unbeaten on 22 at the end of the South Africa's innings with Harbhajan claiming four wickets for 44 runs while Sehwag added three for 12.

That left India chasing an easy target, but the Proteas enjoyed some success with the ball when Sehwag (22) was caught by Prince at backward point off the bowling of Harris.

Jaffer soon followed, trapped lbw by Morkel for 10, but Ganguly (13 not out) and Dravid (18no) steered their side home with the latter hitting the winning four.