JOHANNESBURG: India took clear control of the first test against South Africa by extending its lead to 67 by lunch on the third day at the Wanderers on Friday.

The No. 2-ranked Indians were 31-1 at the end of the session after removing South Africa’s tail quickly in the morning to keep the top-ranked test team to just 244 all out in its first innings.

Seamers Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan took four wickets each to do the damage on a pace-friendly Johannesburg pitch as South Africa fell away to lose its last four wickets for 31 runs in less than 10 overs in the morning.

Only Vernon Philander resisted after Graeme Smith’s half-century on Thursday. Philander was out for 59 early, however, and Khan wrapped up the innings with three of the four wickets to fall on the third morning.

Philander had South Africa’s one breakthrough at the start of India’s second innings when Shikhar Dhawan edged to slip, earning his 100th test wicket in his 19th match, the fastest to that mark for a South African. Dale Steyn, the previous record-holder, took 20 tests.

But South Africa had little else to celebrate and its task of finding a way back into the series-opener was made much harder when fast bowler Morne Morkel limped off shortly before lunch after going over awkwardly on his right ankle fielding near square leg. There was no immediate clarity on Morkel’s injury but it appeared the lanky quick, who took 3-34 in India’s first innings, might not be able to bowl again in the game.

India quickly ended South Africa’s resistance first thing in the morning for a 36-run first-innings lead.

The advantage was primarily down to Sharma’s 4-79, and Khan returned from a yearlong absence from test cricket to take 4-88.

Philander reached his third test half-century with a blazing cover drive off the first ball of the day, but he was caught by Ravichandran Ashwin at slip off Khan to end an 80-run stand with Faf du Plessis for the seventh wicket and South Africa fell away.

India gained a precious lead on a green pitch proving especially difficult to bat on. The tourists’ advantage was edging up toward 100 as Murali Vijay, on 12 not out, and Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 not out, slowly built on the bowlers’ earlier work.

Philander and Du Plessis, who made a grinding 20 from 77 balls, saved South Africa from a worse fate after it was reduced to 146-6 in a mid-innings burst by Sharma late on Thursday. Philander, the tailender who took charge of the late partnership, hit seven fours in all to lift his struggling side, including two off the first over of the third day.

But India was in control of the morning from the moment Philander nicked a quick one to Ashwin and departed. Steyn also edged Ishant Sharma to Rohit Sharma in the slips and Du Plessis was caught behind off a fierce Khan delivery.

Veteran left-armer Khan, recalled for his first test since December 2012, ended South Africa’s resistance by bowling Morne Morkel to finish with an impressive haul on his return. He and Sharma also put India in prime position to take an early lead in the short two-test contest and put South Africa’s 13-series unbeaten run under pressure. India hasn’t won a series away from home since 2011.