The Big Guns

VVS Laxman (143) and MS Dhoni (132) slammed sparkling unbeaten centuries to compound South Africa's misery as India took a stranglehold of the second and final Test with a mammoth 347-run first innings lead. (AFP Photo)

Indian captain MS Dhoni led from the front and slammed an unbeaten 132 to notch up his 4th Test century and also put India in a commanding position. (AFP Photo)

Dhoni had come in to bat when Amit Mishra, the night watchman, was dismissed after scoring 28 crucial runs. From there on, Dhoni put up a 259 run run partnership with VVS Laxman to put South Africa on the backfoot. (AFP Photo)

Continuing his love affair with Eden Gardens, VVS Laxman hit the 15th century of his Test career to bat South Africa out of the Test. Laxman also put up a partnership of 259 runs with MS Dhoni to take India's lead to 347 runs. (AFP Photo)

Laxman scored an unbeaten 143 to dent South Africa's confidence to quite an extent. He showed why he is called '(V)ery (V)ery (S)pecial' and dispatched the Proteas bowlers to all corners of the park effortlessly. (AFP Photo)

Here, VVS Laxman is seen playing an attacking shot enroute to his 15th Test ton. (AFP Photo)

Take that! Sachin Tendulkar points towards the crowd and dressing room as he accepts the applause after scoring his 47th Test ton. (AFP Photo)

Sachin Tendulkar is so much similar to wine. He seems to be getting better with age! (AFP Photo)

Has posted four hundreds in successive Tests - the fourth batsman to register the feat for India, joining Gautam Gambhir (5), Sunil Gavaskar (4) and Rahul Dravid (4). (AFP Photo)

The man who started it all! The 'Swashbuckling Sehwag' powered himself to 165 off just 174 deliveries to launch a knock-out blow on the visitors. (AFP Photo)

Sehwag (1162) became the third Indian batsman after Tendulkar (1415) and Dravid (1132) to make 1,000 runs against South Africa. (AFP Photo)

Sehwag (165 off 174 balls) has now recorded 13 knocks of 150-plus, bettering Sunil Gavaskar's tally of 12 such knocks. Only Sachin Tendulkar has registered more innings of 150-plus in Tests (18) than Sehwag for India. (AFP Photo)