India needs another 316 runs with eight wickets in hand if it is to deny South Africa a series-equalling win in the second Test at Durban.
South Africa declared its second innings at 265-8 and India was 38-2 in reply when bad light again caused an early end to play.
South Africa wasn't without its concerns, however, as midway through its innings it lost six wickets for 44 runs.
Graham Smith (59) and AB de Villiers (47) put on 99 for the first wicket, but after VRV Singh caught the edge of de Villiers' bat, Sreesanth again scythed through the batting, bowling Smith, trapping Hashim Amla leg before wicket for a duck and then having Ashwell Prince caught for a duck.
Sreesanth took 4-80.
But it was Shaun Pollock who restored a sense of control for South Africa in two substantial lower-order partnerships, the first with Andrew Hall (21) for 70 runs for the seven wicket and the next, for the eighth wicket, with Morne Morkel (27) for 52 runs.
Pollock was unbeaten on 63, a 99-ball innings which included 10 boundaries, when the declaration was made an hour before the tea break.
India was then struggling in the 13 overs of play that was possible before bad light brought an end.
Virender Sehwag was once again unable to get going and he edged a ball from Makhaya Ntini to Smith at first slip.
Then Rahul Dravid was given out caught behind by umpire Asad Rauf although television evidence showed the noise was his bat hitting his pad and nowhere near the ball.
Wasim Jaffer (22no) and Sachin Tendulkar were left to battle their way to early stumps in the hope they can take the attack to the South Africans on the final day.
