Virat Kohli missed out on the chance to become just the fourth Indian batsman to score a century in each innings of a test match when he was out for 96 on the fourth morning of the first test against South Africa at the Wanderers on Saturday.
Kohli may have disappointingly fallen four short of the milestone, but helped India to a dominant 358 for six at lunch, an overall lead of 394 with five sessions of the match still to play.
Had he added the four extra runs, he would have joined Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid on the list of those who have achieved the feat in the past.
After the interval, MS Dhoni (16) and Ravichandran Ashwin (nought) will attempt to push that lead well beyond 400 as India look to ensure they initially cannot be beaten but also have enough time to bowl South Africa out to win the game.
Kohli was angry with himself at the manner of his dismissal, but the shot was on as he sought to cut an innocuous delivery from off-spinner JP Duminy to the point boundary, but instead nicked a thin edge to wicketkeeper De Villiers.
It was one of four wickets to fall in the morning session after India had resumed on 284-2 and South Africa toiled for an hour for a breakthrough which when it came, triggered the departure of three more batsmen.
Centurion Cheteshwar Pujara (153) added 18 to his overnight score before he was caught by De Villiers off Jacques Kallis and Rohit Sharma (six) was unlucky to be dismissed when he played on a delivery from the same bowler that stayed low.
Kohli was next to go, before Ajinkya Rahane (15) was out in the final scheduled over before lunch, caught by Graeme Smith at slip off Duminy.
The South African pace attack has been depleted of strike-bowler Morne Morkel, who will not feature again in the match after turning his ankle while fielding on Friday.
That has meant Kallis has had to take on more of the workload and he has responded with figures of three for 68, the best of the wilting Proteas pace attack.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by John O'Brien)
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