South Africa reached 17/1 after play was called off with the condition of the pitch being discussed on the third day after India set a target of 241 for the hosts to win the third and final Test at the Wanderers cricket ground.
Due to odd bounce, the play was called off as both the captains, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis discussed the issue with match referee Andy Pyrcroft.
Earlier in the day, India put up a gutsy show with the bat before being bowled out for 247. Ajinkya Rahane was the top-scorer for the visitors with his 48-run knock. Skipper Virat Kohli (41) and the lower-order batsmen Bhuvneshwar Kumar (33) and Mohammed Shami (27) chipped in with useful knocks.
Returning to the side after being dropped from the first two Tests, Rahane timed the knock to perfection as he played with gumption to take India past the 200-run mark.
Rahane and Bhuvneshwar added crucial 55 runs to extend India's lead to 240 on a Wanderers track that is becoming increasingly difficult to bat with every passing hour.
In the second session, Rahane and Virat Kohli (41 runs off 79 balls) put on 34 runs for the fifth wicket. The duo was fluent and played attacking shots even as the pitch continued to deteriorate.
Kohli looked a class apart on a tough wicket and with the innings went past Mahendra Singh Dhoni (3,454 runs in 60 Tests) in the list of most runs as Test skipper.
But he was bowled off an unplayable delivery from Kagiso Rabada (3/59) that seamed in off the pitch in the 50th over.
Rahane, however, played some attacking shots, primarily off Morne Morkel (1/38). Bhuvneshwar, at the other end, looked solid. The duo were helped by South Africa's poor effort in the field as both Rahane and Bhuvneswar were dropped once each.
Dean Elgar first dropped Bhuvneshwar on 15 at gully off Morkel in the 59th over and then six balls later, Andile Phehlukwayo dropped Rahane on 38 at deep point off Rabada.
Just before tea, the duo brought up their 50-partnership off 68 balls, almost knocking the wind out of the Proteas.
Meanwhile, the pitch continued to come under increasing scrutiny. In the 58th over, Rahane was hit by Rabada and the two umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould had a long chat in the middle and inspected the pitch before play resumed.
In the morning session, Rabada had hit Kohli in the 31st over and then Murali Vijay in the 35th over, both on the hands as they failed to fend off sharp, rising deliveries.
The Wanderers' pitch is increasingly coming under criticism from former cricketers and commentators for its dangerous nature.
Earlier, opener Murali Vijay and skipper Virat Kohli showed lot of grit on a treacherous track as India reached 100 for 4 at lunch. Vijay was out at the stroke of lunch when Kagiso Rabada's yorker cleaned him up after he showed a lot of patience scoring 25 off 127 balls during his three hour and 14 minutes vigil at the crease.
Kohli, as usual, showed his class with some crisp on drives as he reached 27 off 49 balls at the break having added 43 runs for the fourth wicket after K.L. Rahul (16) and Cheteshwar Pujara (1) were dismissed early in the morning.
In the morning Rahul (16) chased one off Vernon Philander (2-21) and was caught at the second slip. Three overs later, India were reduced to 57/3 as Cheteshwar Pujara (1) was caught at second slip too, this time off Morne Morkel (1/13). The ball just reared up off length and took the bat's shoulder and Pujara could do nothing about it.
India are trailing the three-match series 0-2.
