The prolonged resistance of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers proved in vain as India bowled out South Africa in the final session of day five in Delhi to win the fourth Test by 337 runs.

South Africa's premier batsmen faced 541 deliveries between them for just 68 runs in a dogged effort to prevent India from securing a 3-0 series triumph.

However, after reaching tea on 136-5, the Proteas survived for just 31 more deliveries after tea as they were dismissed for 143 in 143.1 overs, De Villiers the seventh man out for a 297-ball 43.

Ravichandran Ashwin returned figures of 5-61 from 49.1 overs to finish the series with 31 scalps, as India moved up to number two in the ICC Test rankings, behind their opponents, as a result.

South Africa began the final day on 72-2 and lost a solitary wicket in a morning session that saw just 22 runs scored from 35 overs.

Amla was the man to go, for 25 from 244 deliveries, as Ravindra Jadeja (2-26 from 46) sneaked a ball past the touring skipper's defences in one of 12 successive maidens for the left-arm spinner prior to lunch.

Jadeja extended his run of scoreless overs to 17 before finally giving up runs for the first time in the day during the afternoon session.

Yet South Africa were given increasing reason to believe the match could be saved as Faf du Plessis (10 from 97 balls) provided able support for the defiant De Villiers, who battled on despite suffering a series of painful blows to the gloves as Umesh Yadav extracted variable bounce from a wearing surface.

India were lifted by two wickets in quick succession as Jadeja trapped Du Plessis in front before JP Duminy (0) was lbw on the back foot to Ashwin.

De Villiers is the scorer of the fastest fifty and century in ODI cricket but continued to demonstrate extraordinary restraint at the crease, making it through to tea in the company of wicketkeeper Dane Vilas (13).

The end was not long in coming, though, as Vilas and De Villiers departed in successive overs on the resumption of play, the former playing on to Yadav (3-9 from 21) before Ashwin induced a glove to leg slip from South Africa's top scorer.

Yadav bowled Kyle Abbott (0) with a fast inswinger in his next set of six and also had Dane Piedt (1) superbly caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha.

It was Ashwin who fittingly brought proceedings to an end, cleaning up Morne Morkel (2) to spark jubilant celebrations.