Cape Town: Sachin Tendulkar notched up his 51st Test century as India reached 316 for six at tea on the third day of the series-deciding third cricket Test against South Africa here today.
Tendulkar brought about his century with a six off Morne Morkel shortly after the lunch break in an absorbing post lunch session which saw Dale Steyn produce a fiery spell to dismiss Cheteswar Pujara (2) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (0) in the span of 9 deliveries.
Tendulkar was batting on 136 and Harbhajan Singh on 34 at tea with India still 46 runs behind South Africa's first innings total of 362.
Resuming at the lunch score of 237 for four, the Indians added 79 runs and lost two wickets in the session.
The young Pujara was dismissed in the very first over after lunch, trapped leg before wicket to a gem of a delivery from Steyn to reduce India to 237 for five.
Tendulkar then completed his century by hooking Morne Morkel for a six. It was a mistimed shot and the ball took the top edge and flew for a six.
Steyn struck again in his next over by getting rid of captain Dhoni with a ball which swung away sharply. the Indian captain tried to steer the ball but only succeeded in edging it to Ashwell Prince at third slip.
Harbhajan tried to play a few attacking shots to ease the pressure on the Indians who suddenly found themselves in trouble with the two quick dismissals.
Harbhajan had a huge slice of luck when a Steyn express delivery clipped the edge of the off-stump but the bails did not fall much to the disbelief of the South Africans.
The fiesty spinner celebrated the reprieve by clobbering Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who replaced Morkel from the pavilion end, for a huge six in the square leg region. He then cracked him for a boundary.
Tendulkar and Harbhajan have stitched an unfinished 69-run partnership for the seventh wicket to take India beyond the 300-run mark and inch closer to the South African total.