/world sport
(CNN) -- Virender Sehwag blasted the fastest triple century in Test match history as India made major inroads into South Africa's first innings of 540 in Chennai.
Sehwag (right) is congratulated by fellow opener Wasim Jaffer.
The flamboyant opener hit 42 fours and five sixes on his way to 300 from just 278 balls, finishing the third day of the opening Test unbeaten on 309, matching his own highest score by an Indian.
The 29-year-old became the third cricketer -- and the first Indian -- to record two triple hundreds after Australian legend Donald Bradman and Brian Lara of the West Indies.
Powered by Sehwag's heroics, India ended on 468 for one wicket, raising the prospect of an unlikely victory with two days remaining.
"It's a great feeling, but I don't have the words to describe it," Sehwag told Associated Press, saying he was eager to make a point to selectors who dropped him for the last home Test series.
"I wanted to prove that I belong to the Test squad, it really hurt me when I was dropped against Pakistan for the home Tests," he added.
Sehwag enjoyed an opening stand of 213 with Wasim Jaffer (73) and an unbroken second wicket partnership of 255 with Rahul Dravid who was unbeaten on 65 not out.
Dravid needs just 15 runs to become only the sixth batsman in history to score 10,000 Test runs.
Sehwag, who has gone past 200 in four of his 14 Test centuries, will have Lara's world record Test individual score of 400 not out in his sights when play resumes on Saturday.
India, trailing by just 72 runs, will look for quick progress to put the pressure on South Africa in the first of the three Test series.
Only 11 wickets have fallen with 1008 runs scored to date, but the Indian spin attack would look to exploit a wearing pitch on the final day. E-mail to a friend 
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