Proteas on top in Ahmedabad

South Africa claimed three wickets before lunch on day three of the second Test against India to leave the hosts facing a huge task to avoid an innings defeat.

The Proteas declared on their overnight score of 494 for seven at the start of the day - a lead of 418 - and then set about the Indian top order with relish.

Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid all fell cheaply to leave India on 95 for three in their second outing, still 323 runs short of the tourists' first-innings total.

AB De Villiers had grabbed the headlines on the second day with his double century propelling South Africa well beyond India's woeful opening total of 76 runs.

The 24-year-old was unbeaten on 217 when rain brought an early end to proceedings, but he was not given the chance to add to that as the Proteas declared on their overnight score.

That brought India back to the crease for a second time, and although Sehwag and Jaffer had more success than in their opening innings, Makhaya Ntini soon broke the partnership. Sehwag was the man to fall, trapped lbw for 17.

That brought Dravid to the crease and he added 33 runs in his stand with Jaffer, but came unstuck against a Morne Morkel delivery for 17, getting a thick outside edge which flew straight to De Villiers at third slip.

Jaffer (19) soon followed his team-mate back to the pavilion, De Villiers taking another catch in the slips this time off the bowling of Jacques Kallis.

That left India on 70 for three and facing the prospect of an embarrassing innings defeat on home soil.

VVS Laxman (19 not out) and Sourav Ganguly (10 not out) managed to see the hosts through to lunch, but South Africa will be confident of taking a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series after the opening match ended in a draw.